Launching a fighter brand to cushion patent expiry: The case of Zocor

The expiration of patent protection and the subsequent sharp decline in sales have become a crucial topic for many pharmaceutical companies in recent years. The effort invested in designing strategies to cushion the adverse effects of patent expiry has increased considerably. One strategy, the launch of a second brand with a lower price, is frequently discussed as a potentially promising new option but has rarely been implemented. This contribution focuses on this fighter-brand strategy, its strengths and weaknesses and compares it to other pricing strategies. Moreover, it provides a detailed analysis of a major case example where a fighter brand was launched, the patent expiry of Zocor in Germany.