• Brandweek, Tuesday, October 31, 2006 12:45 PM

Marketers of drugs treating Type 2 diabetes say that the disease is reaching epidemic proportions as the American population gets older and fatter, and some are doubling and tripling their ad spend as they introduce new technologies into the increasingly competitive market.

The market for pharmaceutical products alone is currently about $10 billion to $12 billion, according to Brian Cooley, senior marketing director at Eli Lilly & Co. for a diabetes drug called Byetta. "By 2020 ... it could grow to $50 billion-plus," he says.

Because the disease requires constant monitoring, marketers are also plowing money into blood-glucose metering devices, such as LifeScan's OneTouch Ultra. In 2001, the Johnson & Johnson unit spent $5 million advertising the brand. Last year's budget: $51 million.

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