Actavis' olanzapine launched in Germany
Iceland-based generic drugmaker Actavis says it has launched the schizophrenia treatment olanzapine in Germany. The product is a non-branded version of US drug major Eli Lilly's Zyprexa, which achieved annual sales of 3.3 billion euros ($4.84 billion), according to data provided by IMS health.
Earlier this year, the German Patent Court ruled that Lilly's Zyprexa patent was invalid (Marketletter June 18), allowing Actavis and others to bring copycat drugs to market. Elsewhere in Europe, Lilly's patent protection for the product, the most lucrative in its portfolio, runs until 2011.
Reykjavik-headquartered Actavis said that olanzapine tablets will be available in a range of dosage strengths (2.5mg, 5mg, 7.5mg, 10mg, 1.5mg and 20mg), and will be sold by its Medis unit. Gudbjorg Eggertsdottir, Actavis' executive vice president of third-party sales, said that expedient development of the product had enabled the company to "seize the opportunity" created by the German Patent Court's decision.
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