Glaxo Wellcome Assesses Zantac Generic Competition

Generic competitors to Glaxo Wellcome's Zantac (ranitidine) now accountfor 57% of total US sales of the product, according to a company spokesman, who told Reuters that the figures, from January through October 10, were prepared by outside consultants.

Zantac sales worldwide slid 20% in the first half of this year to L807 million ($1.35 billion), with company chairman Sir Richard Sykes reportedly noting that generic versions would wipe out 90% of Zantac's US turnover.

IMS figures show that Astra's Losec (omeprazole) bumped Zantac from the top-drug spot in the USA in the first half of 1997; Zantac had led the list for 10 years. Zantac's US sales fell 21% to $726 million in first-half 1997, before US competition began, according to IMS.