X and Z preferred by companies for the names of new drugs.
It may be hard to pronounce, but pharmaceutical companies eager to capture the attention of doctors and patients alike are returning to drug names that start with X and Z.
Recent X-names include drugs for prostate cancer treatment – Xtandi, lung cancer – Xalkori, for that to the bones – Xgeva. The letter Z is becoming popular for new drugs such as Zaltrap for colon cancer,Zelboraf for melanoma e Zytiga for prostate cancer.
"The trend for the X and Z had been quite common eight or nine years ago – at the time there were names like Zoloft, Zyban And Zocor,” said Vince Budd, senior vice president of healthcare at Addison Whitney Consulting Firm, referring to popular drugs for depression and high cholesterol.
"We saw this as an opportunity to create something unique," Budd said. "I think we've come full circle and gone back again, especially in oncology."
Of the 15 "X"-named drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration since 1995, seven have been launched in the past two-and-a-half years.
Marketing and linguistics experts say that the rarity of X and Z in most words make them memorable, i.e. unique names. They are also letters that imply speed or fluency.
"In terms of psychology
