Aventis will deploy 4,000 reps

In an update to the recent announcement that they plan to merge, Hoechst Marion Roussel, Germany, and Rhône-Poulenc Rorer, France, announced they plan to boost their combined sales force to 4,000 reps.

Currently, their combined sales forces total 3,400 reps. While that number might have seemed large two years ago, it places the sales force of the future consolidated company, Aventis Pharma, in sixth place in the United States.

"These substantial marketing resources will enable Aventis Pharma to leverage fast-growing products," the companies said in a formal statement.

Sales reps will be responsible for promoting current products, such as Hoechst Marion Roussel's antiallergy medicine Allegra and Rhône-Poulenc Rorer's low-molecular weight heparin Lovenox and anticancer drug Taxotere.

In the future, pending FDA approval, Aventis reps could also be responsible for promoting the anti-osteoporosis medicine Actonel, the rheumatoid arthritis medicine Arava, the anti-infective Synercid and drugs for cardiovascular diseases and psychoses.

Presumably, the increase in the sales force will take place upon completion of phase one of a two-stage merger.

In phase one, the two companies will form a 50/50 joint venture of pharmaceutical and agricultural activities. In phase two, which should take place in three years, the parent companies will fully merge, bringing their shareholdings together.

Phase one of the merger, which must receive European regulatory approval, is scheduled for mid-1999. PR