Generics

MUMBAI, India The Food and Drug Administration has approved a generic version of a drug for a devastating muscular disorder.

 

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries announced Tuesday the approval of riluzole hydrochloride in the 50-mg strength. The tablets are used to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

 

 

The drug is a generic version of Sanofi-Aventis’ Rilutek, which has sales of around $50 million, according to Sun.

 

BURLINGTON, Mass. The market for hypertension drugs will drop by $3 billion by the end of the decade due to generic competition, according to a new report by healthcare market research firm Decision Resources.

The report, announced Tuesday, found that the market for drugs to treat high blood pressure would decline from 2009’s $26 billion to $23 billion by 2019 in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain and Japan.

 

CHADDS FORD, Pa. Endo Pharmaceuticals will acquire generic drug maker Qualitest Pharmaceuticals for $1.2 billion, Endo said Tuesday.

Endo said the purchase of privately owned Qualitest would expand its offering of branded drugs, generics, devices and services in areas such as pain and urology. Qualitest is the sixth largest generic drug company in the United States, as measured by prescriptions filled.

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario The merger between Valeant Pharmaceuticals International and Biovail is complete, the two companies said Tuesday.

 

Shareholders of both companies have approved the merger, worth more than $3 billion, originally announced in June.

 

 

The combined company will take Valeant’s name.

 

Many generic drug companies have long marketed branded drugs on the side, but lately, some branded drug companies have sought to enter the generics business as well. One of those companies is Meda Pharmaceuticals, the U.S. subsidiary of Swedish drug maker Meda AB. Drug Store News recently interviewed John White, Meda’s senior director of marketing.

Drug Store News: What gave Meda the idea of pursuing generics?

AMITYVILLE, N.Y. Hi-Tech Pharmacal will market a generic version of a drug used to treat opioid dependence, the company said Monday.

 

Hi-Tech announced that it would market buprenorphine hydrochloride in the 2-mg and 8-mg strengths through its Midlothian Labs division. The drug is in the form of a tablet placed under the tongue.

 

 

The tablets are a generic version of Reckitt Benckiser’s Subutex, which had sales of $75 million during the 12-month period ended in June, according to IMS Health.

 

ALLEGAN, Mich. Perrigo has filed for regulatory approval of a generic version of an over-the-counter medication for frequent heartburn, prompting a lawsuit from the branded version’s manufacturer.

The company announced Friday that it had filed for approval for omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate in the 20 mg/1,100 mg strength. The medication is a generic version of Zegerid OTC, made by Schering-Plough HealthCare, a subsidiary of Merck.

 

JERUSALEM Teva filed a complaint against a generic drug maker this week, asserting four patents for its multiple sclerosis drug are being infringed.