Content about Generics

PRINCETON, N.J. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a generic heart-disease drug made by Sandoz, the company said Wednesday.

Sandoz, the generics division of Swiss drug maker Novartis, announced the approval of candesartan cilexetil tablets, a generic version of AstraZeneca's Atacand.

The drug is used to treat some types of heart failure in adults with left ventricular systolic dysfunction, as well as high blood pressure in adults and children as young as 1.

Atacand had sales of $120.3 million in 2012, according to IMS Health.

HAYWARD, Calif. — Impax Labs has launched an authorized generic drug for migraine headaches under a partnership with AstraZeneca, Impax said.

Impax said its generics division, Global Pharmaceuticals, began shipping authorized generic zolmitriptan tablets and orally disintegrating tablets in the 2.5 mg and 5 mg strengths. The drug is a version of AstraZeneca's Zomig.

Zomig had sales of about $196 million during the 12-month period that ended in April, according to IMS Health.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Actavis will acquire Warner Chilcott for $8.5 billion, the drug maker said Monday.

PITTSBURGH — Mylan has launched a generic drug for treating cholesterol, the company said Friday.

Mylan announced the launch of fenofibrate tablets in the 48 mg and 145 mg strengths. The drug is used to reduce so-called "bad" low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglycerides and apolipoprotein B while increasing "good" high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in adults with primary hyperocholesterolemia or mixed dyslipidemia.

PITTSBURGH — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a generic migraine drug made by Mylan, the company said Wednesday.

Mylan announced the approval of zolmitriptan tablets in the 2.5 mg and 5 mg strengths. The drug maker plans to launch the product immediately.

The drug is a generic version of IPR Pharmaceuticals' Zomig and is used for the acute treatment of migraine in adults. Various versions of the drug had sales of $152.8 million during the 12-month period that ended in March, according to IMS Health.

NEW YORK — A Harris Interactive poll released Tuesday found that 44% of all adults reported getting their flu shot this past season, the second time flu shot penetration has reached that high in four years, and even more are expected to get a flu shot next season. Almost half of consumers had reported getting the flu shot in the previous season in April 2011.

WASHINGTON — Finals can be a stressful time for any college or graduate student, with many hours spent studying and few spent socializing or relaxing. But many students are using prescription drugs to get through finals, according to a new study.

NORTH WALES, Pa. — Teva Health Systems has launched a generic injectable drug for small-cell lung cancer, the company said Tuesday.

Teva, a subsidiary of Teva Pharmaceuticals, itself a subsidiary of Israel-based Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, announced the launch of topotecan injection in the 1 mg-per-1 mL strength, in 4 mL, single-dose vials.

The drug is a generic version of GlaxoSmithKline's Hycamtin.

WASHINGTON — The Generic Pharmaceutical Association has promoted Jason Money to associate VP federal government affairs, the trade group said Monday.

Money, who has worked for the GPhA for six years, was previously the organization's senior director for federal affairs. In the new position, he will continue lobbying on behalf of the generic drug industry in Congress.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Actavis is looking into the possibility of buying Warner Chilcott, the generic drug maker said Friday.

Actavis, the world's third-largest generic drug maker, said it had entered into early-stage discussions with Warner Chilcott about a potential combination of the two, but that no agreement had been reached, and that it wouldn't issue further comment about the matter.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Declining use overall of healthcare services drove down spending on medicines in the United States by 3.5% per capita last year, according to a new study.