AstraZeneca authorizes US generic Toprol-XL

Anglo-Swedish drug major AstraZeneca has entered a supply and distribution agreement with the USA's Par Pharmaceutical to distribute an authorized generic of Toprol-XL (metoprolol succinate) in the latter's domestic market. The copy-cat version of the blood pressure drug will be distributed in a 25mg dosage strength but the agreement does not affect the availability of AstraZeneca's branded version in the USA.

A 25mg version of the beta blocker was launched in the USA on November 20 by Eon Labs, part of Novartis' Sandoz. However, industry observers doubt that this will have much impact as the 25mg forms of the agent only account for 20% of US Toprol-XL sales, while the higher dosages are still only sold by the originator.

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