november 5. 1999 » J“ a t OMt 19
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The sales force will he split into two groups.
The HIV and oncology group, now with 28 peo­
ple, will expand to 40. An oncology and derma­
tology sales force of 40 will also he created.
Much of the news from the company regard­
ing its relationship with the gay and lesbian
community is good.
It advertises its Panretin gel in both AIDS
magazines and magazines with a gay audience, as
well as in some Spanish-language publications.
Sexual orientation is specifically mentioned
in the company’s nondiscrimination policy, says
Maier, hut Ligand dries not offer domestic part­
ner benefits.
Maier says the company has contacted insur­
ance vendors to discuss the possibility of adding
domestic partner benefits.
“We’re in the process of reviewing our next
year’s renewal and that has been a topic on the
agenda,” he explains.
No gay and lesbian employee group exists at
Ligand. Maier says there are no employee groups
of any kind.
“We don’t direct or restrict the development
of these groups, however,” he says.
Diversity training is mandatory for all
employees, Maier adds. The training includes a
discussion of gay and lesbian issues, with an
emphasis on the company’s nondiscrimination
policy.
decreasing the number of KS cases—an estimat­
ed 30,000 to 50,000 people in North America
and Western Europe are living with the condi­
tion.
San Diego-hased Ligand employs more than
400 people in California and 50 more in Massa­
chusetts at its subsidiary, Seragen.
The company was founded in 1989 and
worked on research through 1993. In 1994, it
began a drug development phase. In February
1999, it got FDA approval for its first two prod­
ucts in the same week. The approvals came from
two different branches of the regulatory agency,
and Ligand is believed to he the first company to
get two FDA approvals in one week.
The company expects to he profitable in
2000, says Maier.
While some investment firms have recently
downgraded Ligand due to problems getting its
products into patients’ hands, David Molowa of
Bear Steams says: “The company has been very
good at developing drugs. Their track record has
been very impressive. They’ve stumbled a hit
trying to commercialize their drugs.”
He says the company’s technology and
strong relationships with others in the pharma­
ceutical industry count in its favor, however.
“While Ligand will not become an earnings
story near-term, we continue to believe in the
long-term value of the company’s technology ■ GlP PLASTER is a n independent journalist based
and products,” Molowa says.
in Fort Worth, Texas, who writes for dozens of gay
As for the problem with commercialization, arid lesbian publicatums around the country. Find
Ligand’s president and chief executive officer, his Ultimate Listing of Gay & Lesbian Publications
David Robinson, says the company plans to tmline at wujw.gayscribe.com.
expand its sales and marketing program.
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