Eisai to further increase its Belviq sales force by 50%

USA-based Arena Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: ARNA) says its marketing partner, Japan’s Eisai (TYO: 4523), plans to add more than 200 new contract sales representatives to its Metabolic Business Unit, increasing the sales force for the weight-loss drug Belviq (lorcaserin) by 50% to around 600, triple the size from the commercial launch of the diet pill in June 2013.

Eisai expects this expansion of the sales force will become effective on July 1, 2014, and enable them to reach around 90,000 physicians in the USA.

"This second expansion in field support will nearly quadruple physician coverage since launch, and follows Eisai's initiation of a national television advertising campaign for Belviq," said Jack Lief, Arena's president and chief executive, adding: "With 600 representatives soon to be in the field and increased outreach to consumers about the availability of this treatment option, Belviq is well positioned to continue the upward trend in physician and patient adoption."