Pfizer's cow and pony show on Thursday

Pfizer will try to show Wall Street that its roster of promising experimental medicines extends beyond an intensely watched cholesterol drug when it touts its research operations to analysts on Thursday.

Hold the "sacred cow analogies".

Call in the "one trick pony metaphor".

Pressure is on the world's largest drug maker to demonstrate growth prospects as it faces patent expirations that will erode sales of top products.

Investors, who have seen their beaten-down shares rise only slightly since Jeffrey Kindler took over as CEO from Hank McKinnell in July, will also gauge whether Pfizer is getting a return on the whopping $7 billion it spends annually on research and development.

Analysts anticipate a spotlight on projects for cancer, obesity, central nervous system disorders and rheumatoid arthritis at Thursday's analyst meeting, to be held at Pfizer's research facilities in Groton, Connecticut.

Pfizer is expected to detail new data that can expand the sales for already-marketed drugs, such as its Lyrica neuropathic pain treatment and Sutent cancer drug.

But:

All eyes remain on torcetrapib, Pfizer's experimental medicine that raises "good" cholesterol, or HDL. The drug maker is planning on pairing it with its Lipitor - which cuts bad cholesterol and is the world's best-selling drug - to maintain sales once Lipitor loses U.S. patent protection in 2011.

Unforunately it also raises blood pressure!

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