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Last updated January 7, 2009

ABOUT AVANDIA

WHAT IS AVANDIA?

Avandia is a prescription medication that helps diabetics control their blood sugar.  It belongs to a relatively new class of medicines called thiazolidinediones (TZDs).  These drugs lower the blood sugar by increasing the cells’ sensitivity to insulin.  Over 1 million patients in the U.S. are currently taking the TZDs Actos (pioglitazone) and Avandia.

Avandia may be used alone or with other diabetes medications.  Some drugs combine Avandia and other antidiabetic medicines into one pill.

Avandia (rosiglitazone maleate)
Avandamet (rosiglitazone maleate and metformin hydrochloride)
Avandaryl (rosiglitazone maleate and glimepiride)

Avandia was approved by the FDA in 1999 to improve glycemic control in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus. 

THE DRUG COMPANY

Avandia, Avandamet, and Avandaryl are all manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), a research-based industry leader that controls about 7% of the world pharmaceutical market.  With headquarters in the U.K. and operations based in the U.S., GSK employs 100,000 people in over 100 countries.   GSK produces medications to treat asthma, virus control, infections, mental health, diabetes, and digestive conditions.  They also research and produce vaccines and cancer treatments.  Their over-the-counter products include such household names as Tums, Nicorette, Sensodyne, Aquafresh, and Panadol. 

Every year GSK produces > 9 billion Tums tablets & 600 million tubes of toothpaste
Every hour GSK spends > $562,000 dollars researching new drugs
Every minute > 1,100 prescriptions are written for a GSK product

The history of GSK dates back to 1715 with the founding of Plough Court pharmacy in London.  Over the years, several different companies were formed each evolving into major pharmaceutical businesses.  GlaxoSmithKline as it stands today is the result of the merger between Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham in 2001.

Like all other pharmaceutical giants, GSK is a multi-billion dollar company.  In the first 9 months of 2008, GSK’s income exceeded $34 billion dollars.

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AVANDIA SALES

Despite decreasing sales, Avandia continues to be one of GSK’s leading products.

Avandia sales (Jan.-Sept. 2008):  $1.12 billion dollars
Avandia prescriptions written:  ~10,000 per day

As noted below, this represents a drop from the previous year’s sales. 

"Sales of Avandia products were £191 million, a decline of 23% compared with 2007.  There continues to be controversy surrounding the appropriate use of Avandia and consequently the sales outlook for the product remains negative."

GSK 3rd Quarter Report 2008

Avandia sales first dropped in 2007 when the serious health risks were made public.

"Sales of the Avandia product group declined 29% following the
publication of an article in the New England Journal of Medicine in May, which suggested there may be a cardiovascular risk associated with Avandia. Following clarification from the FDA in October, there is now a new approved label for Avandia."

GSK Annual Report 2007
  • 2005 Avandia sales: >$1.6 billion dollars
  • 2006 Avandia sales: >$2 billion dollars
  • 2007 Avandia sales: >$1.2 billion dollars

AVANDIA LAWYERS

The Law Firm of Howard L. Nations has the resources, experience and commitment required to achieve justice for people who have been injured by GlaxoSmithKline's indifference to patient safety. If you or someone you know has been injured by Avandia, Avandaryl, or Avandamet, contact us for a free case review by one of our pharmaceutical attorneys.

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