Pfizer HIV drug approved shortly after three HIV executives terminated.

Pfizer Inc announced in a press release today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Selzentry^TM (maraviroc) tablets, the first in a new class of oral HIV medicines in more than 10 years.

What is interesting about this announcement is that it comes after an earlier delay of approval, shortly after an internal Pfizer whistleblower alleged Pfizer had illegally premarketed maraviroc.

And even more interesting is that this approval comes only a few days after it was revealed on BrandweekNRX that three executives in Pfizer's HIV division had been terminated.

All of this could, of course, be a highly unusual string of coincidences.

If it is not, it may indicate that Pfizer negotiated a quid pro quo - approval in return for an internal house cleaning.

After all, Pfizer may have preferred to have their senior HIV executives in place when they prepared for their most important 2007 product launch. 

- Peter Rost, M.D. is a former VP of Pfizer and the author of Killer Drug and The Whistleblower.