Generics

PITTSBURGH — Mylan has launched a generic drug for treating herpes, the company said Wednesday.

Mylan announced the launch of famciclovir tablets in the 125-mg, 250-mg and 500-mg strengths. The drug is a generic version of Novartis’ Famvir.

Branded and generic versions of the drug had sales of $196 million in 2010, according to IMS Health.

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.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — U.S. spending on drugs grew 2.3% to $307.4 billion in 2010, according to a new report by the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics, part of industry research firm IMS Health.

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.

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.

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."