Eli Lilly & Co. (LLY), Pfizer Inc. (PFE), Forest Laboratories, Inc. (FRX): The Next Big Opportunity in Antidepressant Drugs

Pristiq from Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) is a drug indicated for the treatment of MDD. The product is available in tablet form and was approved in 2008. In second quarter 2013, Pristiq sales were $177 million, up by 12% compared to $158 million last year. The growth was due to an increase of sales by 10% in the U.S. and 26% in the international market. Overall, the company posted sales of $12.9 billion, down by 4% at constant currency compared to last year. Adjusted net income was $4.0 billion and adjusted EPS was $0.56 in the recent quarter. One of the largest healthcare conglomerates in the world, Pfizer, like Eli Lilly, is a dividend paying company that is one of the top healthcare stocks to be included in anyone’s portfolio.

Conclusion

Coming back to Forest Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:FRX), I like the fact that the company is aiming to keep strengthening its mental health portfolio with newly approved drugs like Fetzima. If the success of its previous products is any indication, I am sure Fetzima will be a large revenue generator for years to come. The company needs to actively evaluate its efficacy in other indications of depression as well, so as to continue its regulatory protection for even longer.

The article The Next Big Opportunity in Antidepressant Drugs originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Kanak Kanti.

Dr. Kanak Kanti De has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned.

Kanak is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network — entries represent the personal opinion of the blogger and are not formally edited.

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