An expiring patent for the little blue pill is making Pfizer blue these days. Pfizer's blockbuster Viagra will face competition from generics starting next year. To prepare, the company is scrambling to find other uses for the drug. It's also making variations of Viagra, such as a chewable tablet called Viagra Jet, which it's already selling in Mexico.
Like many big pharmas facing a generics threat, Pfizer is slimming down and restructuring. It recently closed its major research facility in Sandwich, England, which employed 2,400 people. In March, Pfizer also announced a strategy to spin off four non-pharma units to focus on its core business. --S.D.
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