Is Pfizer (PFE) Still a Big Pharma Kingpin?

For instance, the company’s top-selling drug, Lipitor — which is arguably the best-selling drug in the world during the past 10 years — is getting attacked in several markets by generic alternatives. Lipitor’s loss of exclusivity resulted in a huge hit to the company’s revenue, with 93% and 70% fourth-quarter plunges in the U.S. and worldwide sales, respectively.

Where’s the next leg of growth?
It wasn’t all bad news, however. The consumer health business jumped 16% to $936 million — helped by strong demand for Advil and Centrum vitamins. And several newer drugs posted double-digit growth, including fibromyalgia and pain treatment Lyrica. CEO Ian Read was pleased by the company’s performance, saying: “We had a good year… looking forward to progressing our pipeline and bringing new products to patients this year.”

The pipeline is the lifeblood of big pharma. And in order to keep the Street excited, continued pipeline expansion is key. It remains to be seen if/when management can score another top-seller like Lipitor. To that end, Read told investors that the company plans to unveil two new medicines, Xeljanz, which is a rheumatoid arthritis treatment, and a drug called Eliquis, which will be produced with partner Bristol Myers Squibb Co. (NYSE:BMY). But will these names become Pfizer’s next blockbusters?

That said, the stars may be aligning up for Eliquis, which after two delays, received clearance for the prevention of stroke and dangerous blood clots in atrial fibrillation patients. And clinical results from ARISTOTLE establish Eliquis as a superior treatment to current alternatives. A financial analysts from Credit Suisse seems to also love Eliquis after projecting that the drug can generate as much as much as $5.2 billion in revenue by 2020.

While investors should be encouraged by such optimism, Johnson & Johnson‘s Xarelto is an FDA-approved competitor. Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) will need to contend for market share. While Eliquis’ sales prospects may not be of “Lipitor-esque” levels, if it can inject Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) with invigorated growth, investors should rejoice. In the meantime, however, Pfizer’s declining revenue hardly qualifies as kingpin status. But with the company’s continued improvements and solid pipeline, the crown is within its grasp.

Fool contributor Richard Saintvilus has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Johnson & Johnson. The Motley Fool owns shares of Johnson & Johnson.

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