Avandia Roundup: Sales Drop, GlaxoSmithKline Cut Jobs

A diabetes drug known to contribute to heart complications, fluid retention and weight gain continues to fall from its once-lofty perch. Avandia was at one time a giant in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes, but has fallen on hard times as more and more physicians move their patients away from Avandia, to alternative diabetes drugs that carry less risk.

And then there was the death June 13th of beloved newsman Tim Russert of NBC’s Meet the Press. The Washington Bureau Chief for the network had just returned from Italy late on June 12th, and after taping a program for his weekly MSNBC television show, was taping voiceovers for Meet the Press in an isolation booth when he suddenly collapsed, and died a short while later.

The cause of Russert’s death has been reported as a fatal ventricular arrhythmia caused by a fresh blood clot in the left anterior descending coronary artery, a portion of the heart often referred to as the ‘widow-maker’ if it fails. Russert was known to suffer from atherosclerosis (aysymptomatic coronary artery disease), which resulted in the hardening of his arteries. It has been reported that he was managing his heart condition with medication and exercise, and had passed a stress test with flying colors as recently as April 29th.

He was also a diabetic.

It is not known what kind of diabetes he suffered from, or if he was taking Avandia for his diabetes. For that matter, his diabetic condition was not articulated in recent references to his physical condition and his death, nor was it revealed what medications he might have been taking to manage his cholesterol levels, among others.

However, in the aftermath of the Buffalo native’s death many have observed that Mr. Russert was, in their view, not a well man physically. Various observers with holistic credentials say that his weight, and the puffiness in his face and eyes point to fluid retention–one of the hallmarks of Avandia, if he was indeed taking the drug. Also, given the fact that his heart was found to be enlarged, Avandia is something he should not have been taking anyway, as it is contraindicated for enlarged heart.

While more will be learned in the days, and weeks to come with regard to the untimely death of a modern-day broadcast legend, there are those who point to the possibility that Russert may have been relying on medication too readily to manage his heart and diabetic conditions. Critics of Avandia will be watching for news of how Russert was managing his diabetes, and if that may have contributed to his tragic demise.

In the meantime, Avandia manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline is cutting about two percent of its global R&D workforce of 17,000 persons. Most of the 350 jobs lost are reported to be in the United States, but other sites have been targeted, including locations in the United Kingdom, and in Italy.

While downsizing and re-structuring seems to be de rigueur in the pharmaceutical trade right now, GlaxoSmithKline is still reeling from the turn of fortunes surrounding the once-vaulted Avandia. Sales for 2007 were down 26 percent from the previous year, and had fallen 56 percent in the first quarter of 2008 as compared with the same period a year ago.

And then there are litigation costs, as Avandia consumers who have been injured or negatively impacted in some fashion by the Type 2 diabetes drug, fight back in the courts.