During the drugmaker’s third-quarter earnings call with investors, Pfizer CEO Ian Read attributed growing sales of eczema drug Eucrisa to the launch of two DTC campaigns.
The most recent campaign, Nose to Toes, features young children and teenagers asking if Eucrisa is right for them. The 30-second spot began airing September 6.
The other ad, Steroid Free, kicked off in mid-August. As its name suggests, it aims to reinforce that Eucrisa is a non-steroidal option for treating eczema.
See also: What doctors have to say about those DTC ads
iSpot.tv estimates that Pfizer spent $1.7 million on media buys for Steroid Free and $5.9 million on buys for Nose to Toes.
Eucrisa saw sales of $15 million in the third quarter of 2017, compared to $9 million in the previous three-month period.
The FDA approved Eucrisa in December to treat mild-to-moderate eczema. The drug is expected to compete with Sanofi and Regeneron’s Dupixent, which analysts expect will grow to $3 billion in annual sales. In March, Dupixent was approved to treat moderate-to-severe eczema.
See also: The Top 10 DTC Ads of 2016
Pfizer acquired Eucrisa in its $4.5 billion buyout of Anacor Pharmaceuticals in 2016. Around the time of the deal, EvalutePharma estimated that Eucrisa could reach sales of $1.3 billion by 2022.
Credit Suisse analyst Vamil Divan wrote in an April investor note that the drug should gain traction over time, especially among the pediatric population. He noted, however, that doctors were less enthusiastic about Eucrisa’s efficacy when compared to Dupixent.
