Karen L. Katen: Pfizer's Pep Pill
When it comes to moving new products out of the lab and into the marketplace, Pfizer, with an estimated $13.4 billion in sales in 1998, is the pharmaceutical industry's heavyweight champ. Credit KAREN L. KATEN, a 25-year Pfizer veteran and president of Pfizer U.S. Pharmaceuticals, for much of the company's muscle. Katen, 50, who climbed the ranks through Pfizer's marketing operations before taking over as head of the U.S. drug arm in 1995, seems to have a formula for launching blockbusters. Think Viagra.
That talent has helped her make an already strong U.S. drug operation even stronger. During her tenure, Pfizer has had one knockout product launch after another, including the allergy medicine Zyrtec, the antibiotic Trovan, and, of course, the anti-impotence pill Viagra.
Katen has fostered lucrative alliances outside the company, too. A co-marketing deal with Warner-Lambert in 1997 launched the cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor in the U.S. Thanks in no small measure to aggressive and savvy promotion by Pfizer, Lipitor is now the leader in its $4.6 billion market. Revenue from two such partnerships will add an estimated $800 million to Pfizer's sales in 1998.
Known for her ability to build cohesive teams within the highly competitive company, as well as a knack for spotting talented executives, Katen is in the running to succeed Pfizer Chairman William C. Steere Jr. when he retires in 2001. Meanwhile, don't expect her to let up in her current assignment. Katen says the reason for her loyalty is simple: ''I've never been bored.'' With Pfizer's pipeline healthy, that won't be changing anytime soon.
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