Watson ships generic Pravachol

Watson Pharmaceuticals, a USA-based specialty pharmaceutical company, says that under a distribution agreement with US drug major Bristol-Myers Squibb, the company has initiated shipments of pravastatin sodium tablets, the authorized generic version of Bristol-Myers Squibb's cholesterol-lowering agent, Pravachol, in 10mg, 20mg and 40mg strengths.

The drug is indicated, along with diet, to reduce the risk of both first heart attack in patients with elevated cholesterol and recurrent heart attack or stroke in patients with heart disease, when diet and exercise are not enough. Watson stated that, for 2005, Pravachol had sales of approximately $1.7 billion.