Excerpted from:
The Wall Street Journal Interactive Edition
-- October 31, 1997

NEW YORK -- Pfizer Inc. presented to Wall Street analysts details of its experimental impotence treatment, Viagra (sildenafil), and other candidates in its new product pipeline, sending its shares up strongly until an afternoon market downturn.

Viagra, the impotence treatment, was clearly the focus of analysts' interest. The drug, which was originally tested and discarded as a heart pill, was submitted for regulatory approval in September as a treatment for male erectile dysfunction and was given priority status at the Food and Drug Administration. Pfizer expects to launch the drug next year.

The pill will be priced much lower than competing injectable drugs, said William Steere, Pfizer chairman. While most side effects were minimal, Dr. Niblack noted that about 3% of patients reported a blue-green tinge to their vision for a few minutes to a few hours after taking the pill, but he said the effects are transitory.

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