Novartis sells off old CNS drugs in USA

Novartis has signed an agreement to sell the US rights to five of itsolder central nervous system medications to Tyco Healthcare Group and Mallinckrodt, which are affiliates of Tyco International. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The products include four antidepressants - Anafranil (clomipramine), Pamelor (nortriptyline), Tofranil (imipramine) and Tofranil PM (imipramine pamoate) - as well as the benzodiazepine hypnotic compound Restoril (temazepam). All the above were launched between 1960 and 1990.

Lawrence Perlow, senior vice president and general manager, commercial operations, said that the divestiture means Novartis can now focus on introducing New Chemical Entities "across several therapeutic areas, while maintaining patient and physician access to trusted therapies," adding that Tyco is committed to serving these patients.