Pfizer产品Exubera能成功吗？

辉瑞的Exubera能成功吗？

自从18个月前Exubera上市以来，每个月的销售收入只有400万美元，辉瑞公司不得不使出浑身解数来推动这种吸入性胰岛素品牌药的销售。在过去的一个星期里，辉瑞公司就专门为Exubera发起了一场电视营销战。
Pfizer launched its first TV campaign for Exubera this past week in an attempt to breathe a little life into the stalled inhaled insulin brand. And with just $4 million in quarterly sales after 18 months on the market, Exubera needs all the help it can get.

但是，这次名为“现在我有它了！”的电视营销战真的能把Exubera带上销售快车道吗？就像我们在五月份的IN VIVO网站上发文指出过的那样，Exubera有一些很大的市场障碍，第一，还没有完全证实吸入性胰岛素要比注射胰岛素更有效；第二，吸入性胰岛素还有烦人的肺安全检测。
But will the “Now I Get It” campaign be enough to put Exubera on a faster track? As we pointed out in an IN VIVO article in May, Exubera has some pretty major marketing hurdles: 1) it’s not clear that inhaled insulin is any more effective than the injectable stuff; and 2) there’s that pesky long-term pulmonary safety signal.

但是最大的障碍来自于吸入性设备的大小。难以想像，你会在饭馆吃饭的时候突然拿出个网球大小般的小药罐。辉瑞公司也意识到了这一点，并且希望通过商业运作尽可能地消除这种印象。在他们的广告中，一个男人在和朋友吃饭的时候，很自然地掏进掏出吸入剂，但是其中吸入剂设备的大小被刻意伪装了。
But perhaps the biggest hurdle is the size of the inhalation device. As big as a can of tennis balls, it’s not exactly something you’d like to whip out at a restaurant. Pfizer tries to dispel that notion in the commercial: a man is shown holding and closing the device while having a meal with a friend—but in such a way as to disguise the actual size of the thing.

根据RPM的报道，Exubera型号的问题已经不是什么新鲜事了。早在2005年FDA专家委员会评审Exubrea的时候，一个小组就说，尽管Exubera采用了\"中性化\"的包装设计，但是携带不便的问题仍然会降低病人服用Exubera时的顺应性。另外，Exubera吸入器看起来就像个大鼓，使用时的尴尬造成了新的问题。
The size problem isn’t new: as reported by The RPM Report, during FDA’s 2005 advisory committee review of Exubera, one panelist noted that despite the increase in “metrosexuals carrying purses,” the inconvenience of carrying the device may actually prevent patients from complying with their treatment regimen. Embarrassment also may be a factor: as the Pharma Marketing Blog points out, the inhaler looks like a large bong.

很有趣的一点是，商业活动中也不会考虑吸入性胰岛素的服药便利性，实际上，“针筒”这样的词是绝对不会被提到的。但是，这也有可能是因为对于大部分的病人来说，吸入性胰岛素不能代替注射胰岛素。相反，辉瑞公司只是把Exubera当作控制血糖水平的一个辅助治疗。
It’s also interesting to note that the commercial doesn’t ever discuss the convenience factor of inhaled insulin—in fact, the word “needle” is never uttered. But maybe that’s because for the majority of patients, inhaled insulin can’t replace injections. Instead, Pfizer sells Exubera as a treatment to help control blood sugar levels.

吸入性胰岛素会有一个更简单的销售，因为后面还有许多其他的吸入性胰岛素产品即将上市，并且都有更小的吸入设备，辉瑞公司必须抓紧时间了。这是一笔圆滑的商业事件，但是能否通过Exubera的DTC(药物电视广告)来帮助辉瑞克服设备忌妒仍然值得怀疑。
Inhaled insulin should be an easier sell, and with a number of other inhaled insulin products coming down the pike (all with smaller inhalation devices), Pfizer is running out of time. It’s a slick commercial, but it’s doubtful that the introduction of DTC ads for Exubera will help Pfizer overcome device envy.

最关键的一点：自己做判断！
But hey, don’t take our word for it: judge for yourself. To see a clip of the broadcast ad, click here, and tell us what you think.