Novartis Breast Cancer Drug Just OK'd — And Already Losing?
Novartis' breast-cancer drug may already be at a disadvantage just a day after being approved.
Novartis' newly approved breast-cancer drug is at a disadvantage to Pfizer's Ibrance with a label warning of liver toxicity and requiring occasional heart-rhythm monitoring, an analyst said Tuesday.
Leerink analyst Seamus Fernandez expects Pfizer to keep 67% of the market with Novartis grabbing 20%. Novartis said late Monday that the FDA had approved its drug, Kisqali, to treat some forms of post-menopausal advanced breast cancer.
Kisqali's label warns of potential liver toxicity and fast or chaotic heartbeats known as QT prolongation. That means a patient must undergo electrocardiograms, electrolyte monitoring and liver function tests at various points in treatment.
