Content about AstraZeneca

STAMFORD, Conn. — In an effort to help chronically ill Americans that rely on safety net clinics for their medical care, AstraZeneca has donated $3.8 million worth of prescription medicines to AmeriCares.

LONDON — Patent expirations of key blockbuster drugs and efforts by payers to contain costs are likely to bring strong growth to the global generic drug market in the next few years as market-earned revenues grow by more than $100 billion, according to an analysis by research firm Frost & Sullivan.

The report, titled "Generic Pharmaceuticals Market — A Global Analysis" and focusing on the United States and Europe, also found that healthcare expenditure and sales revenues are poised to shift to India, China, Brazil, Turkey and South Korea.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug for treating high blood pressure made by Mylan, FDA records showed.

The FDA approved Mylan's metoprolol succinate tablets in the 25-mg, 50-mg, 100-mg and 200-mg strengths.

The drug is a generic version of AstraZeneca's Toprol-XL.

PRINCETON, N.J. — Bristol-Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca presented an analysis Wednesday of 14 clinical trials at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions in Orlando, Fla., the companies said.

The phase-2b and phase-3 trials all involved the investigational Type 2 diabetes drug dapagliflozin and, the companies said, showed that use of the drug did not lead to an unacceptable risk to adult patients' cardiovascular health compared with other treatments.

CHADDS FORD, Pa. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug made by Endo Pharmaceuticals for high blood pressure.

Endo announced Wednesday the approval of felodipine extended-release tablets in the 2.5-mg, 5-mg and 10-mg strengths. Endo's generic drugs division, Qualitest Pharmaceuticals, will manufacture and distribute the product.

The drug is a generic version of AstraZeneca's Plendil extended-release tablets. Felodipine had sales of about $84 million during the 12-month period ended in June, according to IMS Health.

NEW YORK — Anglo-Swedish drug maker AstraZeneca has settled patent infringement lawsuits that it filed against two companies that had sought to market generic versions of one of its drugs.

The company settled with Handa Pharmaceuticals and also with Accord Healthcare and Intas Pharmaceuticals over two generic versions of the bipolar disorder and schizophrenia treatment Seroquel XR (quetiapine fumarate) extended-release tablets.

ROCKVILLE, Md. — A new report from the Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found little evidence to support the use of atypical antipsychotic drugs for uses other than those for which they have official approval.

WILMINGTON, Del. — AstraZeneca is offering a discount savings program for its prescription acid reflux disease treatment.

The company said its new Nexium savings card is designed to offer eligible patients instant discounts on their prescriptions for the drug. AstraZeneca noted that the offer is good for up to $50 off on 12 prescriptions of at least a 30-day supply of Nexium, must be used within 14 months of the first prescription fill and cannot be combined with any other offer. Additionally, the offer is not valid for patients that have a co-pay of $18 or less.

MORRISTOWN, N.J. — The Food and Drug Administration has granted tentative approval to a generic cholesterol drug made by Watson Pharmaceuticals, the company said Wednesday.

Watson announced the tentative approval of Watson's rosuvastatin zinc tablets in the 5-mg, 10-mg, 20-mg and 40-mg strengths. The drug is a generic version of AstraZeneca's Crestor. Tentative approval means that the drug meets the FDA's conditions for approval, but the agency can't allow it to be marketed because patents covering the branded version have yet to expire.

SKOKIE, Ill. — Topco, a member-owned cooperative serving the food industry, recently kicked off an initiative substituting its TopCare-branded over-the-counter medicines for the equivalent prescription pharmaceutical, where appropriate, in an effort to save patient dollars and promote the TopCare brand.

WILMINGTON, Del. — A Food and Drug Administration committee of experts has advised against approving a drug for Type 2 diabetes made by AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb, the companies said Tuesday.

The FDA’s Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee voted 9-6 against recommending approval for dapagliflozin, saying that data from a two-year clinical trial program that included about 6,000 people did not support the drug’s approval for use in patients along with changes to diet and exercise.

SAN DIEGO — A cobranded Type 2 diabetes treatment may help reduce blood-sugar levels among patients when combined with insulin (with or without metformin), according to a late-stage clinical trial.

AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb said that when Onglyza (saxagliptin) in the 5-mg strength was combined with insulin (with or without metformin), patients saw significantly lower HbA1C levels by an average of about 0.73% by the end of the phase-3 trial, compared with a placebo-insulin (with or without metformin) combination.