Generics

WASHINGTON — The main trade group for the generic drug industry is heralding a new cost analysis by the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics showing that generic drugs can reduce co-payments by up to 80%.

According to the analysis, contained in the report “The Use of Medicines in the United States: Review of 2010,” the average co-payment for a generic drug was $6.06 per prescripton last year, compared with $23.65 to $34.77 for preferred and nonpreferred brand drugs.

HAWTHORNE, N.Y. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a topical treatment for skin conditions made by Israeli generic drug maker Taro Pharmaceutical Industries.

Taro announced Monday the approval of imiquimod cream in the 5% strength. The drug is used to treat actinic keratosis and external genital warts, and is a generic version of Graceway Pharmaceuticals’ Aldara.

Imiquimod cream has annual sales of around $340 million in the United States, according to Taro.

NEW YORK — Drug stores may be best positioned to navigate any headwinds whipped up by rising fuel costs and may even benefit from them, a Credit Suisse analysis published Friday found.

HYDERABAD, India — The Food and Drug Administration has approved Dr. Reddy's version of an allergy medication that recently received Rx-to-OTC switch approval, the generic drug maker said.

Dr. Reddy's fexofenadine HCl tablets are bioequivalent versions of Sanofi-Aventis’ Allegra, which received Rx-to-OTC switch approval from the FDA in January.

The fexofenadine HCl Rx market had branded and generic sales of approximately $452 million for the 12 months ended last December, according to IMS Health.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — Despite a difficult economy and rising health costs, the benefits of an integrated pharmacy service were evident as CVS Caremark helped its pharmacy benefit manager clients — employers, health plans and third-party administrators — manage pharmacy costs, according to the company's annual "Insights Report."

NEW YORK — Drug manufacturers are coming up with new versions of their drugs for erectile dysfunction as those drugs’ loss of patent protection and subsequent generic competition draw near, according to published reports.

ST. LOUIS — The road to waste reduction is paved with good intentions.

That’s the conclusion of pharmacy benefit manager Express Script’s "2010 Drug Trend Report," which found that 33% of annual pharmacy-related waste can be eliminated by encouraging patients to improve common behaviors linked to their prescription drugs by harnessing their good intentions.

HAYWARD, Calif. — Another generic drug maker is seeking to market its version of a popular opioid painkiller.

Impax said it had filed applications with the Food and Drug Administration seeking approval for a generic version of Purdue Pharma’s Oxycontin (oxycodone) controlled-release tablets in the 10-, 15-, 20-, 30-, 40-, 60- and 80-mg strengths.

Purdue filed suit against Impax on April 8 in the U.S. District Courts for the Southern District of New York, seeking to prevent Impax from marketing its version before the expiration of Purdue's patents.