Generics

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Watson Pharmaceuticals has launched a generic version of a contraceptive made by Warner Chilcott, Watson said Monday.

The drug maker announced the launch of chewable norethindrone and ethinyl estradiol tablets in the 0.4-mg/0.035-mg strength and chewable ferrous fumarate tablets in the 75-mg strength.

The product is a generic version of Warner Chilcott's Femcon Fe, which had sales of about $35 million during the 12-month period ended in July, according to IMS Health.

PITTSBURGH — A report commissioned by the Generic Pharmaceutical Association has drawn applause from manufacturers and a retail pharmacy industry group.

Generic drug maker Mylan, a member of the GPhA, praised the report, conducted by market research firm IMS Health, showing that the use of generic prescription drugs saved consumers, patients and healthcare providers more than $931 billion over the last decade.

DUBLIN — A federal court in New Jersey has blocked an attempt by Mylan to market a generic version of a drug made by Warner Chilcott.

Warner Chilcott announced Thursday that the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey granted its motion for a preliminary injunction against Mylan to prevent it from launching a generic version of the antibiotic Doryx (doxycycline) in the 150-mg strength until the court makes a decision relating to a patent covering the drug, which Warner Chilcott and Mayne Pharmaceuticals allege Mylan to have infringed.

NEW YORK — Dr. Reddy's Labs has launched a drug for treating Alzheimer's disease, the company said.

Dr. Reddy's announced the launch of rivastigmine tartrate capsules in the 1.5-mg, 3-mg, 4.5-mg and 6-mg strengths.

The drug is a generic version of Novartis' Exelon. Exelon and other generic versions of the drug had sales of about $92.6 million during the 12-month period ended in June, according to IMS Health.

PITTSBURGH — Generic drug maker Mylan has entered an agreement with Hoffmann La Roche concerning its version of an oral chemotherapy drug.

Mylan announced Wednesday that it had entered a settlement and license agreement with Hoffmann La Roche resolving a patent infringement lawsuit over Xeloda (capecitabine) tablets, a drug used to treat breast and colorectal cancers that have spread to other parts of the body.

WASHINGTON — Generic drugs have saved U.S. consumers and the healthcare system $931 billion over the last 10 years, according to a report released Wednesday by the Generic Pharmaceutical Association.

Conducted on behalf of the GPhA by the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics and IMS Health, the report found that use of generic prescription drugs saved nearly $158 billion in savings in 2010. Much of the savings from the last 10 years has come from newer generics, particularly those introduced since 2001.

WASHINGTON — Only one stakeholder stands to gain from the proposed merger of Express Scripts and Medco — and that would be the new “mega PBM” the deal would create, not payers, and definitely not patients, either.

PITTSBURGH — Mylan subsidiary Matrix Labs has received tentative approval from the Food and Drug Administration for its new drug application of a co-packaged antiretroviral treatment under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.