HIRC Research Finds AstraZeneca #1 for Programs; Novo Nordisk #1 for Pricing Flexibility.

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- Health Industries Research Center (HIRC) has released its Spring 2006 report Managed Markets and National Accounts Handbook Service assessing the depth and breadth of pharmaceutical company program support and pricing flexibility with strategic customers.

Report

"AstraZeneca is rated #1 in programs, with solid account management, appropriate drug utilization support and non-product driven education," reports Tom Mader, Vice President. "Conversely, Novo Nordisk is #1 in willingness to negotiate price based on flexible contracting," adds Mr. Mader.

The Spring 2006 Managed Markets and National Accounts Service is based on surveys and in-depth telephone interviews regarding programs and pricing with 250+ key customers selected from 12 markets:

--HMO Pharmacy Directors

--HMO Medical Directors

--Medicare PDP Executives

--Hospital Pharmacy Directors

--Consultant Pharmacies

--Preferred Provider Organizations

--State Medicaid

--Retail Drug Chains

--Specialty Pharmacy

--Pharmacy Benefit Managers

--Veteran's Administration

--Department of Defense

Statistics At-a-Glance

HIRC's Spring 2006 Managed Markets and National Accounts Service ranks AstraZeneca #1 for programs across these twelve markets, followed by Novartis (#2), GlaxoSmithKline (#3), and Novo Nordisk and Pfizer tied for #4. The top ten pharmaceutical companies, ranked by programs are as follows:

1. AstraZeneca

2. Novartis

3. GlaxoSmithKline

4.(a) Novo Nordisk

4.(a) Pfizer

6. Merck

7. Sanofi-Aventis

8. Proctor & Gamble

9. Lilly

10. Boehringer Ingelheim

(a) = tie.

Conversely, pharmaceutical manufacturers perceived as most willing to negotiate prices are Novo Nordisk (#1) followed by AstraZeneca (#2), Novartis (#3), Merck (#4), and GlaxoSmithKline (#5). The top ten pharmaceutical companies, ranked by pricing flexibility are as follows:

1. Novo Nordisk

2. AstraZeneca

3. Novartis

4. Merck

5. GlaxoSmithKline

6. Proctor & Gamble

7. Schering

8. TAP

9. Forest Labs

10. Sanofi-Aventis

Availability

HIRC publishes the Managed Markets and National Accounts Service each quarter. The service includes multiple on-site presentations with a HIRC account manager, softbound handbooks, CDs, and PDF files accessed from the HIRC web site. The Spring 2006 management summary is available now for review. Please note that all HIRC reports are available only to pharmaceutical companies.

About Health Industries Research Center

Health Industries Research Center (HIRC) is an independent, nonpartisan organization that conducts strategic market research on a wide variety of health care markets and issues. HIRC focuses on the needs of pharmaceutical companies by providing primary and secondary market research that is critical to the development of successful marketing and sales strategies in the managed markets environment. HIRC conducts detailed research through extensive surveys and interviews with industry insiders, resulting in focused studies directed toward specific target pharmaceutical markets. Marketing research and sales executives will find HIRC reports and custom research invaluable for providing concise summaries of the current trends that shape their business. Founded by a researcher from Wharton and Stanford Research Institute, HIRC has over 16 years of intimate experience with the pharmaceutical and health care industries. For more information about HIRC and the company's reports, visit www.hirc.com.