It actually does the smart thing, and plans on releasing its HDL-raising medication torcetrapib by itself:
Previously, Pfizer had said it would sell torcetrapib only in combination with Lipitor, one of several medicines called statins that lower levels of LDL, or bad cholesterol. Cholesterol-reducing medicines are the largest prescription drug category, with worldwide sales of $32 billion last year.
By offering torcetrapib only in a combination pill, Pfizer would have forced patients taking other statins – like Zocor, from Merck -— to switch to Lipitor if they wanted torcetrapib’s benefits . . .
. . . Now Pfizer says it has changed its strategy. Dr. Joseph Feczko, Pfizer’s chief medical officer, said Monday that Pfizer expected to offer torcetrapib as a standalone drug as well as a combination with Lipitor.
