GSK’s new Flonase already a top allergy seller

NEW YORK — The true allergy tsunami this year is GlaxoSmithKline's new allergy remedy Flonase, which has already generated almost $100 million in its first 16 weeks on shelf and rocketed to the top of the cough/cold/sinus/allergy liquids brand list as sold across total U.S. multi-outlet, according to IRI figures. 

 

That $100 million lift to GSK's Consumer Healthcare business accounted for half of the division's 24% growth in quarterly sales, Simon Dingemans, GSK CFO, recently told analysts earlier in May. 

 

For the 12 weeks ended May 17, Flonase sales were more than double those of competitor corticosteroid nasal spray Nasacort Allergy 24HR and the GSK brand is not likely to face store brand competition anytime soon. 

 

Perrigo president and CEO Joseph Papa told analysts in February, at the time Flonase launched, that he was unsure GSK could maintain its three-year exclusivity on Flonase beyond specific claims for allergy eyes. However, Perrigo had no immediate plans to introduce a store brand Flonase.

 

“As to how it’s going to play out between that time, whether or not we want to go to the market with Flonase prior to the expiration of the allergic eye data ... that’s unclear at this time,” he said. “So right now, we are not planning for our Flonase product to get to the market [in] 2015," he added. "We are still working with the regulatory side.”