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HYDERABAD, India — Dr. Reddy's Labs has launched zoledronic acid injection in the 5 mg-per-100-mL strength, the Indian generic drug maker Thursday.

The drug, launched following its approval by the Food and Drug Administration, is a generic version of Novartis' Reclast and is used to treat osteoporosis. Reclast had sales of $355 million during the 12-month period that ended in February, according to IMS Health.

HYDERABAD, India — Dr. Reddy's has launched a drug for treating acne, the company said Friday.

The Indian generic drug maker announced the launch of Zenatane (isotretinoin) capsules in the 20-mg and 40-mg strengths. The drug is a therapeutically equivalent generic version of Roche's Accutane. The Food and Drug Administration also approved the drug in the 10-mg strength.

Various versions of the drug had sales of about $309 million during the 12-month period that ended in January, according to IMS Health.

PRINCETON, N.J. — Ranbaxy Labs will market a drug for depression under an agreement with another company, the drug maker said Tuesday.

Ranbaxy said it had entered an in-licensing agreement with Alembic Pharmaceuticals to market desvenlafaxine base extended-release tablets. Alembic is the sponsor of a new drug application filed with the Food and Drug Administration for the drug, which is bioequivalent to Pfizer's Pristiq. Pristiq had sales of $590 million during the 12-month period that ended in January.

NEW YORK — Drug maker Ranbaxy Labs has started producing the ingredients for a cholesterol drug while working with the Food and Drug Administration to fix manufacturing issues that led to the recall in November 2012 of several batches of the drug.

The Indian drug maker said it had initiated corrective and preventive actions, or CAPA, as it prepared to resume supplies of generic atorvastatin calcium tablets to the U.S. market. The drug is a generic version of Pfizer's Lipitor, and Ranbaxy became the first company to market a generic version in November 2011.

 HAWTHORNE, N.Y. - Israeli drug maker Taro Pharmaceutical Industries and Indian drug maker Sun Pharmaceutical Industries have terminated their merger agreement, the companies said in a joint statement Friday.

Little explanation for the decision to halt the deal was given, except that terminating the agreement was "in the best interest of the respective companies and shareholders." Taro shareholders would have received $39.50 per share upon the closing of the deal.

HYDERABAD, India — Dr. Reddy's Labs has launched a generic drug for treating baldness, the Indian drug maker said.

Dr. Reddy's announced the launch of finasteride tablets in the 1-mg strength, a generic version of Merck's Propecia. As the first company to successfully file for approval of a generic version of the drug, Dr. Reddy's is entitled to 180 days of market exclusivity in which to compete directly with the branded version.

Propecia had sales of about $136 million during the 12-month period that ended in October 2012, according to IMS Health.

OSAKA, Japan — Japanese drug maker Takeda Pharmaceutical is selling its generics business to India-based Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Takeda said Monday.

Takeda said it would sell URL Pharma, through U.S. subsidiary Takeda Pharmaceuticals USA, to Sun subsidiary Caraco Pharmaceutical Labs while retaining control of the gout treatment Colcrys (colchicine). Takeda acquired rights to Colcrys when it bought URL Pharma for $800 million in June 2012; financial terms of the current deal with Caraco were not disclosed.

NEW YORK — Ranbaxy Labs has recalled more than three dozen lots of its generic version of a cholesterol-lowering statin drug due to the possible presence of foreign particles, the company said.

The year 2012 is coming to an end, and it’s been a big year for 
generic drugs.


SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration has given tentative approval to a new drug for HIV made by an Indian company.

FDA records show that the agency gave tentative approval tablets and oral suspension that combine lamivudine, nevirapine and zidovudine in the 30-mg/50-mg/60-mg strength.

PRINCETON, N.J. — Ranbaxy Labs has launched an authorized generic drug for treating dry mouth associated with an autoimmune disorder, the company said Tuesday.

The India-based generic drug maker announced the launch of cevimeline hydrochloride in the 30-mg strength under an agreement with parent company Daiichi Sankyo. The drug is used in patients with Sjogren's syndrome, which affects the moisture-producing glands.

HYDERABAD, India — Drug maker Dr. Reddy's Labs has launched a generic antibiotic drug, the company said Thursday.

The India-based company announced the launch of amoxicillin tablets, capsules and oral suspension. The tablets are being launched in the 500-mg and 875-mg strengths, while the capsules are in the 250-mg and 500-mg strengths, and the oral suspension is in the 125-mg-, 200-mg-, 250-mg- and 400-mg-per-5-mL strengths.