Lipitor Sales Level Off After Arrival of Generics

Sales of Lipitor, the top-selling drug in history, have leveled off after a steep plunge following the start of U.S. generic competition.

New figures from data firm IMS Health show that at the end of December, sales of Pfizer Inc.'s Lipitor were at just above 37 percent market share.

Two new generic versions came on the market at the beginning of December, and in the first full week of the month they had siphoned off a combined 59 percent of sales. By the last week of December, atorvastatin pills from Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd. and the authorized generic from Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc. only picked up another 4 percent between them.

That's because Pfizer is fighting hard to retain sales, with big discounts to patients and insurers.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)