Generics

SAN DIEGO The U.S. drug market will present opportunities as well as uncertainties over the next decade, according to remarks made by IMS Health VP industry relations Doug Long at the National Association of Chain Drug Stores’ 2010 Pharmacy and Technology Conference held here on Monday.

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y. The Food and Drug Administration has approved a generic treatment for hypertension and liver cirrhosis made by Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Amneal said Thursday.

The FDA approved Amneal’s spironolactone hydrochloride tablets in the 25 mg, 50 mg and 100 mg strengths. The drug is a generic version of Pfizer’s Aldactone. Various versions of the drug had sales of $91 million in 2009, according to IMS Health.

NORTH WALES, Pa. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries has launched a generic version of a weekly formulation of a popular antidepressant, the generic drug maker said.

Teva announced the launch of fluoxetine delayed-release capsules, a generic version of Eli Lilly’s Prozac Weekly.

NORTH WALES, Pa. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries has launched a generic version of a weekly formulation of a popular antidepressant, the generic drug maker said.

NORTH WALES, Pa. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries has introduced a generic drug for lowering patients’ blood pressure, the world’s largest manufacturer of generic drugs said Monday.

Teva introduced clonidine transdermal system, a generic version of Boehringer Ingelheim’s Catapres-TTS. The drug is available in 0.1 mg, 0.2 mg and 0.3 mg strengths and comes in the form of a patch designed for daily application.

The drug has annual sales of around $297 million, according to IMS Health.

SILVER SPRING, Md. The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first generic version of a Sanofi-Aventis injected drug used to treat deep vein thrombosis, the agency said Friday.

The FDA approved generic enoxaparin sodium, a version of Sanofi’s Lovenox, developed under a collaboration between Momenta Pharmaceuticals and Sandoz, the generics division of Swiss drug maker Novartis.

PITTSBURGH Mylan has launched a generic treatment for acne, the company said Thursday.

Mylan announced the launch of minocycline hydrochloride extended-release tablets in the 45 mg, 90 mg and 135-mg strengths. The drug is a generic version of Solodyn ER, made by Medicis Pharmaceuticals Corp.

Minocycline ER had sales of around $496 million during the 12-month period ended in March, according to IMS Health.

WASHINGTON A reported excess of a quarter billion dollars is a good case for increasing use of generic drugs under the Medicaid program, according to the main lobby for the generic drug industry.

Responding to a report by conservative think tank the American Enterprise Institute that identified $271 million in wasteful Medicaid spending, the Generic Pharmaceutical Association said it was a “compelling case” for increasing generic drug utilization.

MORRISTOWN, N.J. Actavis has received regulatory approval from the Food and Drug Administration for a generic antidepressant, the drug maker announced Wednesday.

Actavis said it immediately will begin distributing its bupropion HCl extended-release (SR) tablets in 100-mg and 200-mg strengths. The drug is the generic equivalent of GlaxoSmithKline's Wellbutrin SR. Actavis already has marketed generic Wellbutrin SR in the 150-mg strength. The drug maker received approval in March 2008.