The empirical formula for tadalafil is C22H19N3O4, and its official organic name is (6R,12aR)-6-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-2,3,6,7,12,12a- hexahydro-2-methyl-pyrazino[1 ,2 :1,6]pyrido[3,4-b]indole-1,4-dione. The molecular weight is 389.41. Tadalafil tablets marketed under the brand name ‘Cialis’ are yellow, film-coated, and almond-shaped; produced in 5, 10, or 20 mg doses.
Hoping to boost new prescriptions, the makers of Cialis are launching a program that guarantees patients’ satisfaction with the erectile dysfunction drug.
The program, called “Cialis Promise,” lets patients try the drug for free, If they don’t like it, the pills will be replaced free with one of the rival brands, Viagra or Levitra.
ICOS (ICOS) and its partner, Eli Lilly (LLY), kicked off the promotion with full-page ads in USA TODAY and The Wall Street Journal.
Paul Clark, chairman and chief executive at ICOS, said he’s betting the ads will back up what studies have shown: that Cialis is preferred over its two competitors.
“We are so confident that men with ED will appreciate the benefits of Cialis that we’re willing to go as far as offering to pay for our competitors’ products if they are not satisfied,” Clark said in a statement.
The new promotion comes as the drug’s market-share growth appears to have stalled. Cialis accounted for less than 19% of new prescriptions written for erectile dysfunction drugs and had an overall market share of 14.1% by late June, according to figures from IMS Health, a research firm.
The FDA has approved a once-a-day dosage of Eli Lilly and Co.’s drug Cialis, which previously was available only in a higher dose that provided a 36-hour window of effectiveness.
The Indianapolis drugmaker said the daily version of the erectile dysfunction drug should help users who might otherwise worry about the effectiveness window.
A Lilly spokesman said that with the daily dose, men will not need to take Cialis in anticipation of sex because it is already in their system.
Cialis had $798 million in sales during the first nine months of 2007, and the company expects to top $1 billion in sales for the whole year.
Cialis still trails market leader Viagra, which reported $1.26 billion in sales during the first nine months of 2007.