Content about Generics

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Generic drug maker Watson Pharmaceuticals has hired a former executive from the Generic Pharmaceutical Association to head lobbying at the federal and state level, the company said Wednesday.

Watson announced the appointment of James Fenton as VP U.S. government affairs. In the new position, Fenton will work out of Watson's Washington offices and will be responsible for leading the company's expanded federal and state government affairs activities.

WASHINGTON — New results from a national online public opinion poll of Americans 18 and older show that 34% of smokers plan to quit smoking as a New Year’s resolution in 2013, as compared to only 18% who reported that quitting smoking was a New Year’s resolution in 2012. Increasing costs of cigarettes (67%) and concerns about the health risks associated with smoking (58%) were two of the key factors motivating smokers to contemplate quitting as a resolution for 2013.

ATLANTA — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday announced the launch of its CDC Influenza application for clinicians and other healthcare professionals on the Apple platform. The app makes it easy to access CDC’s latest recommendations and influenza activity updates on an iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch, the agency stated.

An Android support will be added in a future update, CDC noted. 

BOSTON — Topical pain relievers may be better suited for joint pain, according to a report published in the January 2013 issue of the Harvard Men's Health Watch. 

"Topical pain relievers can be very helpful for the more superficial joints like the knees, ankles, feet, elbows and hands," stated Rosalyn Nguyen, a clinical instructor in physical medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School. "In those areas, the medication can penetrate closer to the joint."

NEW ORLEANS — Consumers measure the risk of contracting the flu to the price of their flu shot, according to research out of Tulane University released Friday. 

The study found that consumers make judgments about their risk of catching any illness based on the cost of its medication. The higher the price, the less they think they’re at risk, stated co-author Janet Schwartz, assistant professor of marketing at Tulane’s A.B. Freeman School of Business.

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.

PEAPACK, N.J. — Pfizer's generics division has launched an authorized generic drug for treating epilepsy.

Greenstone announced the introduction of phenytoin tablets in the 50-mg strength, an authorized generic version of Pfizer's Dilantin Infatabs.

Authorized generics are generic drugs marketed under their generic names at a reduced price, often through third-party companies under contract with the original drug's manufacturer.

WASHINGTON — A court has ruled in favor of Indian generic drug maker Ranbaxy Labs in a case concerning a generic blood pressure drug, the legal firm representing the drug maker said.

Zuckerman Spaeder LLP said the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia upheld a Food and Drug Administration decision protecting Ranbaxy's market exclusivity for a generic version of Novartis' drug Diovan (valsartan).

PITTSBURGH — Mylan announced that its subsidiary, Mylan Pharmaceuticals, has received final approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its abbreviated new drug applications for rizatriptan benzoate orally disintegrating tablets, 5 mg and 10 mg, and rizatriptan benzoate tablets, 5 mg and 10 mg. These products are the generic versions of Merck's Maxalt MLT® Tablets and Maxalt® Tablets, respectively, and are indicated for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura in adults.

ATLANTA — The incidence of influenza continued on an upward trajectory heading into the Christmas holiday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday. Nationwide for the week ending Dec. 22, 4.2% of patient visits reported through the U.S. Outpatient Influenza-like Illness Surveillance Network were due to influenza-like illness, above the national baseline of 2.2%. 

SILVER SPRINGS, Md. — Teva Pharmaceuticals has received approval of their new drug application for topotecan hydrochloride injection, a treatment for small cell lung cancer, according to Food and Drug Administration records.