Schering's Cyproterone Problems Continue

The struggle between the Berlin drugmaker, Schering AG, and the German Federal Drug Institute, BAM, over alleged cancer-causing properties of Schering's synthetic sex hormone products Diane-35 and Androcur, both based on cyproterone acetate, is continuing (Marketletter August 22).

The BAM's questioning of the safety of these particular drugs has reportedly led to considerable concern in the German health service and to worry among patients, as well as triggering a series of counter-claims by the company.

Schering notes that it is important that drug regulators in Austria, the Netherlands and Switzerland have made no move to intervene in their markets. However, sales of both products have slumped by 50% for August, and this could be an important trend for the company which generates 10% of its sales from CPA drugs, with annual sales in Germany alone amounting to 72 million Deutschemarks ($46.7 million).