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Pfizer COX-2s help boost 2004 profits

Despite fluctuating safety worries, Pfizer's COX-2 inhibitors, Celebrex and Bextra, have helped quadruple the company's Q4 2004 figures, with sales increasing in the wake of Merck's Vioxx withdrawal.

Worldwide sales of Celebrex topped $3.3 billion and Bextra sales totaled nearly $1.3 billion in 2004. Pfizer’s Lipitor also delivered strong double-digit revenue growth, becoming the world’s first $10 billion pharmaceutical product.

Pfizer revenues for the fourth quarter of 2004 grew 7% to $14.924 billion, compared to the fourth quarter of 2003, while revenues for full-year 2004 grew 17% to $52.516 billion, compared to 2003.

Fourth-quarter human health revenue growth was led by Lipitor (up 23%), Celebrex (up 24%), Bextra (up 57%), Zyvox (up 73%), Campto/Camptosar (up 129%), Detrol (up 22%), and Xalatan/Xalacom (up 23%), partially offset by sales declines for Neurontin, Diflucan, and Accupril due to generic competition and Zithromax due to weak respiratory-infection trends.

Full-year human health worldwide revenue growth of 17% was driven largely by Lipitor (up 18%), Zoloft (up 8%), Geodon (up 32%), Relpax (up 99%), Vfend (up 44%), and other key products – Celebrex, Bextra, Xalatan, Detrol, and Zyvox – partially offset by sales declines for Viagra, Diflucan, and Zithromax.