Content about Pharmaceutical industry

HYDERABAD, India Dr. Reddy's disclosed on Tuesday it will market a generic peptic ulcer treatment.

Dr. Reddy's lansoprazole delayed-release capsules will be available in 15-mg and 30-mg strengths, the drug maker said. The capsules are the generic version of Takeda's Prevacid delayed-release capsules.

The FDA approved Dr. Reddy’s abbreviated new drug application for the drug on Oct. 15.

PITTSBURGH A U.S. District Court denied a motion for a preliminary injunction filed by Mylan to prevent Canadian generic drug maker Apotex from making a generic version of an extended-release antidepressant drug, Mylan said Monday.

Mylan said the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey erred in its decision, and it intends to appeal.

PITTSBURGH The Food and Drug Administration has approved two generic drugs by Mylan for treating hypertension, Mylan said Friday.

The company announced the approval of losartan potassium and hydrochlorothiazide tablets in the 50/12.5-mg and 100/25-mg strengths, and losartan potassium tablets in the 25-mg, 50-mg and 100-mg strengths, generic versions of Merck’s Hyzaar and Cozaar, respectively. Mylan began marketing its version of Hyzaar in the 100/12.5-mg strength in April.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. CVS Caremark is presenting data at the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy 2010 Educational Conference illustrating how innovative approaches to traditional plan designs can help clients reduce drug spend, improve generic dispensing rates and minimize member disruption.

The AMCP 2010 Educational Conference is being held in St. Louis from Oct. 13 to 15.

BALTIMORE, Md. Lupin Pharmaceuticals received regulatory approval last week for its generic antihypertensive agents, the drug maker said.

Lupin was granted final approval for hydrochlorothiazide-losartan potassium and losartan potassium, the generic versions of Merck's Hyzaar and Cozaar.

Hyzaar and Cozaar had combined annual sales of approximately $1.6 billion in the United States, based on IMS sales data for the 12 months ended in June.

MORRISTOWN, N.J. Actavis has received regulatory approval from the Food and Drug Administration for its high blood pressure drug.

The drug maker said its losartan potassium tablets, USP, will be available in 25-mg, 50-mg and 100-mg strengths. The drug is a generic version of Merck's Cozaar.

Losartan potassium tablets, USP, had sales of approximately $940 million for the 12 months ended June 30, according to IMS Health.

NEW YORK Pfizer will buy King Pharmaceuticals for $3.6 billion, Pfizer said Tuesday.

The world’s largest drug maker announced that it had agreed to acquire Bristol, Tenn.-based King for $14.25 per share, which it said was a 40% premium over the Monday closing price of King’s stock.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. The board of directors of Genzyme again has rejected a buyout offer by French drug maker Sanofi-Aventis, Genzyme said Thursday.

The biotech company’s board unanimously turned down the hostile offer Sanofi made Monday to acquire Genzyme for $18.5 billion, or $69 per share, saying it was “opportunistic” and undervalued the company.

BASEL, Switzerland Swiss drug maker Roche has bought the rights to an investigative treatment for hepatitis C, Roche said.

The company announced Thursday that it had purchased global development and commercialization rights to the drug RG7227/ITMN-191 (danoprevir) from InterMune for $175 million.

Roche said the drug had shown promise in preclinical and early clinical development. The two companies have been developing the drug since 2006.

WILMINGTON, Del. AstraZeneca will provide medications free of charge to qualifying patients in Sacramento, Calif., through its prescription savings program, the Anglo-Swedish drug maker said Wednesday.

HUENENBERG, Switzerland Eye care company Alcon has appointed a new executive.

The Swiss drug maker announced Monday the appointment of Robert Karsunky as SVP and CFO, effective Nov. 1. He succeeds Richard Croarkin, who has served as Alcon’s CFO since August 2007.

NEW YORK Ranbaxy has won the right to sell a generic version of an Alzheimer’s disease drug made by Eisai, according to published reports.

Bloomberg reported Tuesday that the Indian drug maker had won 180 days’ exclusivity in which to market a generic version of Eisai’s Aricept (donepezil hydrochloride) tablets, pending final Food and Drug Administration approval, beating out Israel-based Teva Pharmaceutical Industries.