Glaxo Wellcome's Tritec Cleared In USA

Glaxo Wellcome has been granted approval of Tritec (ranitidine bismuth citrate) for use in combination with Abbott Laboratories' Biaxin (clarithromycin) for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection associated with active duodenal ulcers. The product will be launched in September.

Tritec, known as Pylorid outside the USA, has been marketed since September 1995 in the UK and has received regulatory approvals in several other countries, including Denmark, the Netherlands, Italy and New Zealand.

Tritec will be marketed by the same sales force which markets Zantac (ranitidine), but Tritec will now become the primary promotional focus for the team. For H pylori eradication, the recommended dose is 400mg twice daily for four weeks, and clarithromycin 500mg three times daily for the first two weeks.