Actavis’ Alimta generic approved by FDA

Teva’s Actavis division has a new product that has been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA has approved Actavis’ pemetrexed, a generic of the branded chemotherapy treatment Alimta in three dosage strengths.  

The product has been approved as a single agent for the maintenance of patients with metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer whose disease has not progressed following four cycles of first-line chemotherapy. It also is indicated as a single agent to treat patients with recurrent, metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer after prior chemotherapy. 

According to a report from the Motley Fool, Alimta’s patent expires in May 2022.