SPOTLIGHT: Exubera pain grows worse

The pain of dismal Exubera sales is spreading. West Pharmaceutical Services, which makes 60 percent of the inhaler used to deliver the insulin spray, told the Securities and Exchange Commission that it's cutting production in response to lower-than-expected turnover. The highly anticipated Pfizer product only sold $4 million worth during the second quarter. "We expect Pfizer's high inventory levels and slower-than-expected demand will affect our fourth-quarter 2007 and full-year 2008 sales," according to documents filed with the SEC. The filing goes on to state that West has cut production of the inhaler to one shift per day.  Report