Content about Pharmaceutical companies

August 30, 2011

A federal court has acted in favor of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries in the drug maker's patent infringement case against several generic drug companies seeking to market versions of its multiple sclerosis drug.

JERUSALEM — A federal court has acted in favor of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries in the drug maker's patent infringement case against several generic drug companies seeking to market versions of its multiple sclerosis drug.

August 29, 2011

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new cancer drug made by Pfizer, the drug maker said.

NEW YORK — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new cancer drug made by Pfizer, the drug maker said.

The FDA approved Pfizer's Xalkori (crizotinib) capsules, a treatment for patients with non-small cell lung cancer that has advanced locally or spread to other parts of the body, also known as metastasis. The drug specifically is designed to target NSCLC containing the enzyme anaplastic lymphoma kinase, as determined by a companion test also approved by the FDA.

August 24, 2011


A worldwide flood of counterfeit and unsafe medications is seeping into the United States and other developed countries via the Internet and porous borders, threatening public health and the security of the pharmaceutical supply chain.


A worldwide flood of counterfeit and unsafe medications is seeping into the United States and other developed countries via the Internet and porous borders, threatening public health and the security of the pharmaceutical supply chain. In response, federal drug safety overseers and such drug manufacturers as Pfizer are working to shore up the integrity of drug supplies and stop production of fake and adulterated pharmaceuticals at their source.


August 24, 2011

The final outcome of the battle between Israel’s Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and Canada’s Valeant Pharmaceuticals International to buy Cephalon serves as a good illustration of why it helps to have a plan B.


The final outcome of the battle between Israel’s Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and Canada’s Valeant Pharmaceuticals International to buy Cephalon serves as a good illustration of why it helps to have a plan B.


In May, Teva beat out Valeant’s $5.7 billion offer to buy Frazier, Pa.-based Cephalon with a $6.8 billion offer of its own, acquiring Cephalon’s hefty pipeline in the process. And last month, Teva bought Taiyo Pharmaceutical Industry, Japan’s third-largest generics company, for $934 million.


August 23, 2011

The Food and Drug Administration will decide whether or not to approve a new usage for a cancer drug made by Amgen by next year, the drug maker said.

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — The Food and Drug Administration will decide whether or not to approve a new usage for a cancer drug made by Amgen by next year, the drug maker said.

August 23, 2011

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a chemotherapy drug made by Sandoz, the drug maker said Tuesday.

PRINCETON, N.J. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a chemotherapy drug made by Sandoz, the drug maker said Tuesday.

Sandoz, the generics division of Swiss drug maker Novartis, announced the approval and launch of docetaxel, an injectable chemotherapy drug that the company said was the 11th cancer drug it has launched in the United States.

August 19, 2011

While Indian generic drug maker Ranbaxy Labs is expected by many to launch a generic version of a cholesterol drug made by Pfizer later this year, it may have to sell its rights to it if it can't win Food and Drug Administration approval in time, according to published reports.

NEW YORK — While Indian generic drug maker Ranbaxy Labs is expected by many to launch a generic version of a cholesterol drug made by Pfizer later this year, it may have to sell its rights to it if it can't win Food and Drug Administration approval in time, according to published reports.

Citing Credit Suisse analysts, Bloomberg reported that the FDA may delay approval of Ranbaxy's version of Lipitor (atorvastatin), which would prevent it from marketing the drug starting Nov. 30, as it has planned to do.

August 19, 2011

Generic drug maker Sandoz is suing Danish drug maker Novo Nordisk over a generic version of a drug used to treat diabetes, according to published reports.

NEW YORK — Generic drug maker Sandoz is suing Danish drug maker Novo Nordisk over a generic version of a drug used to treat diabetes, according to published reports.

Bloomberg reported that Sandoz, the generics arm of Swiss drug maker Novartis, was suing Novo Nordisk in a Detroit federal court, hoping the court would find that the Sandoz generic version of Novo Nordisk's Prandin (repaglinide) did not infringe on the latter company's patent covering the drug.

August 18, 2011

Generic drug maker Sun Pharmaceutical Industries has received regulatory approval for a drug designed to treat an enlarged prostate.

MUMBAI, India — Generic drug maker Sun Pharmaceutical Industries has received regulatory approval for a drug designed to treat an enlarged prostate.

According to the Food and Drug Administration's website, Sun Pharma's finasteride tablets in the 5-mg strength were approved on Aug. 16.

Finasteride is the generic equivalent of Proscar and Propecia, which are made by Merck.

August 17, 2011

Perrigo is planning to launch more than 45 new products in fiscal 2012 that will translate into approximately $190 million added to annual Perrigo sales, Perrigo chairman, president and CEO Joe Papa told analysts during the company's fourth-quarter conference call Tuesday.

ALLEGAN, Mich. — Perrigo is planning to launch more than 45 new products in fiscal 2012 that will translate into approximately $190 million added to annual Perrigo sales, Perrigo chairman, president and CEO Joe Papa told analysts during the company's fourth-quarter conference call Tuesday.

And while none of these new over-the-counter private-label products will help reduce cholesterol levels, Papa did set the stage for a future store-brand equivalent to Pfizer's blockbuster statin Lipitor.

August 12, 2011

Generic drug maker Mylan has begun shipping a drug for enlarged prostate, the company said Friday.

PITTSBURGH — Generic drug maker Mylan has begun shipping a drug for enlarged prostate, the company said Friday.

Mylan announced the launch of alfuzosin hydrochloride extended-release tablets in the 10-mg strength.

The drug is a generic version of Sanofi's Uroxatral, which had sales of about $241 million during the 12-month period ended in June, according to IMS Health.

August 12, 2011

Watson Pharmaceuticals will build a drug warehouse and distribution center in Mississippi, the drug maker said Thursday.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Watson Pharmaceuticals will build a drug warehouse and distribution center in Mississippi, the drug maker said Thursday.

Watson said its Anda Distribution division would the $23.5 million, 234,000-sq.-ft. center in Olive Branch, Miss. The plant will employ 70 workers.

August 11, 2011

Drug maker Avanir Pharmaceuticals has filed suit against two generic drug makers seeking to launch versions of a drug used to treat pseudobulbar affect, which causes sudden, involuntary episodes of laughing and crying, and occurs secondary to numerous other neurological conditions.

ALISO VIEJO, Calif. — Drug maker Avanir Pharmaceuticals has filed suit against two generic drug makers seeking to launch versions of a drug used to treat pseudobulbar affect, which causes sudden, involuntary episodes of laughing and crying, and occurs secondary to numerous other neurological conditions.

Avanir filed the suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware against Par and Actavis, which had filed for regulatory approval of Nuedexta (dextromethorphan hydrobromide and quinidine sulfate).

August 11, 2011

Drug makers GlaxoSmithKline and XenoPort are seeking expanded approval for their restless legs syndrome treatment.

LONDON — Drug makers GlaxoSmithKline and XenoPort are seeking expanded approval for their restless legs syndrome treatment.

The drug makers this week announced the submission of a supplemental new drug application to the Food and Drug Administration, requesting approval for Horizant (gabapentin enacarbil) extended-release tablets as a treatment for postherpetic neuralgia, a nerve pain that commonly is seen in patients with shingles. GSK submitted the sNDA on behalf of the two companies.

August 11, 2011

Pfizer will invest up to $50 million over the next five years in drug discovery and development under a collaboration with the University of California San Diego Health Sciences, the drug maker said.

NEW YORK — Pfizer will invest up to $50 million over the next five years in drug discovery and development under a collaboration with the University of California San Diego Health Sciences, the drug maker said.

August 10, 2011

Sanofi on Wednesday announced the introduction of Allegra's new Allergy Adventures contest on Facebook. Allergy sufferers are invited to upload a short video showing their daily challenges with allergies for a chance to win $5,000 toward a vacation package.

BRIDGEWATER, N.J. — Sanofi on Wednesday announced the introduction of Allegra's new Allergy Adventures contest on Facebook. Allergy sufferers are invited to upload a short video showing their daily challenges with allergies for a chance to win $5,000 toward a vacation package.

August 10, 2011

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

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.

August 9, 2011

Profits for Endo Pharmaceutical Holdings rose to $54.6 million during second quarter 2011, up 6% from $51.5 million in second quarter 2010, the drug maker said.

CHADDS FORD, Pa. — Profits for Endo Pharmaceutical Holdings rose to $54.6 million during second quarter 2011, up 6% from $51.5 million in second quarter 2010, the drug maker said.

Sales for the quarter were $607.5 million, compared with $396.5 million in second quarter 2010. Sales of branded drugs were $398.3 million, an 8% increase over last year, which the company attributed to better sales of the pain drug Opana ER and the joint pain drug Voltaren Gel.

August 9, 2011

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a generic chemotherapy drug made by Hospira, the drug maker said.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a generic chemotherapy drug made by Hospira, the drug maker said.

Hospira announced the approval of gemcitabine injection in the 200-mg, 1-g and 2-g formulations and plans to launch the drug in September. The drug is a generic version of Eli Lilly's Gemzar.

Various versions of the drug had sales of $750 million in 2010, according to Hospira.

August 9, 2011

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare on Monday named John Graham chief marketing officer for Consumer Healthcare, North America.

PITTSBURGH — GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare on Monday named John Graham chief marketing officer for Consumer Healthcare, North America.

August 9, 2011

Hetero is at the center of two patent litigation suits for attempting to market generic versions of Viagra and Nexium, according to published reports.

NEW YORK — Hetero is at the center of two patent litigation suits for attempting to market generic versions of Viagra and Nexium, according to published reports.

August 8, 2011

The Food and Drug Administration has accepted an approval application for a drug made by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries for treating allergies, Teva said.

JERUSALEM — The Food and Drug Administration has accepted an approval application for a drug made by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries for treating allergies, Teva said.

The Israeli drug maker said the FDA accepted its application for BDP Nasal HFA (beclomethasone dipropionate hydrofluoroalkane) for the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis and perennial allergic rhinitis. The drug is a nasal aerosol corticosteroid.

August 4, 2011

German drug maker Merck KGaA said it finished enrolling patients in a late-stage clinical study of a drug for Parkinson's disease.

DARMSTADT, Germany — Merck KGaA has finished enrolling patients in a late-stage clinical study of a drug for Parkinson's disease, the German drug maker said.

Merck KGaA, which is a separate company from U.S.-based Merck & Co. and operates in the United States under the name EMD, said 549 patients with mid- to late-stage Parkinson's had enrolled in the phase-3 "SETTLE" study of safinamide. The study is designed to evaluate the drug's safety and efficacy as an add-on therapy to levodopa, a common treatment for Parkinson's.

August 4, 2011

The world's top-selling drug may become available over the counter, if its manufacturer has its way, according to published reports.

NEW YORK — The world's top-selling drug may become available over the counter, if its manufacturer has its way, according to published reports.

The New York Times reported that Pfizer may be looking for Food and Drug Administration approval for an OTC switch for Lipitor (atorvastatin calcium), a cholesterol-lowering medication. The Times quoted an unnamed source as providing the information, though Pfizer declined to comment.

August 3, 2011

Par Pharmaceutical had sales of $224.2 million and profits of $9.05 million during second quarter 2011, the drug maker said Wednesday.

WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J. — Par Pharmaceutical had sales of $224.2 million and profits of $9.05 million during second quarter 2011, the drug maker said Wednesday.

These compared with respective sales and second-quarter profits of $255.5 million and $18.4 million in second quarter 2010.

For the first six months of fiscal year 2011, the company had sales of $435.8 million and a loss of $99.9 million, compared with $537 million in sales and profits of $44.7 million during the first six months of 2010.