Pfizer Example to Product Name Variation

Just as an add-on to this week's blog-post, we wanted to show an example of the differentiation in some product names based on countries. For this example, we're going to look at a very serious drug, Lupron (leuprorelin), which is indicated for the treatment of prostate cancer. Lupron has grossed over $2 billion in worldwide sales as of 2009 (IMS Health). As everyone knows, the diagnosis and treatment of cancer has grown rapidly over the past decade and it is drugs such as Lupron that help reduce the kill rate of terrible diseases.

Drugs treat people regardless of where they come from. But companies cannot just go out and simply offer the treatment with the same marketing strategy country by country. Companies often adapt their product name/logo to suit the cultural and language differences that exist in our global economy....case in point -- Coca Cola. The same is true for drug products, like that of Lupron.

Let's take a look at the variation in names and who sells the product in some countries:

Country	Product Name	Marketing Company
Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, United States, Venezuela	Lupron	Abbott
Australia, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Singapore, Switzerland, Turkey	Lucrin	Abbott
Austria	Enantone, Trenantone	Takeda
Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden	Enanton Procren	Orion Abbott
Germany	Enantone-Gyn, Enantone Leupro-Sandoz Leuprone	Takeda Sandoz Hexal
Greece	Daronda	Abbott
Hong Kong, Thailand, Italy,	Enantone	Takeda
India	Lupride	Sun Pharma
Indonesia	Tapros Lectrum	Takeda Sandoz
Ireland, United Kingdom	Prostap	Takeda
Japan	Leuplin	Takeda
Philippines	Luprolex Lucrin Depot	Takeda Abbott
Spain	Procrin	Abbott
S. Korea	Luphere Depot	Daewoong Pharmaceuticals

The variations are very similar and there is no real definition of these words. So why do they need to change the names depending on the country? We can't find the direct reason. It's not like Lupron is an offensive word in any of these countries. So I pose this question to the world. Why is this done?