Now that Teva's 180 day period of market exclusivity -- for selling a generic version of Losartan (the active agent in Merck's Cozaar®) -- is set to expire (around October 7, 2010) in the United States, the FDA has approved Lupin Pharmaceuticals' Losartan application as well. [The below pull-quote is from this online publication in India, home of Lupin's parent.]
The takeaway is that the slide in 2010 Cozaar®/Hyzaar® revenue will accelerate immensely now -- with multiple alternative generic suppliers entering the US market:
. . . .Drug firm Lupin today said its wholly-owned American subsidiary has received the final approval from the US health regulator for its generic Hyzaar and Cozaar tablets used for treating high blood pressure.
"The approval has been given to Lupin Pharmaceuticals Inc for Merck's branded Hyzaar(hydrochlorothiazide; losartan potassium) and Cozaar (losartan potassium) tablets by the United States Food and Drug Administration,"Lupin Limited said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange. . . .
Merck's 2010 fourth quarter Cozaar/Hyzaar sales figures will look like a cliff fall, now -- and the 2011 numbers will be so small as to no longer even be a material part of Merck's revenue, or profits. So it goes.
3 comments:
I just can't take this company seriously, having named their firm after a flower prominently featured in a few Monty Python sketches: "Stand and deliver! Bring me your lupins!"
I hear ya'!
To be fair though, the Indian company with a goofy name -- and a decidedly phallic wordmark -- is becoming a juggernaut:
. . .Lupin has the unique distinction of being the fastest growing top 10 Generics players in the two largest pharmaceutical markets of the world – The U.S (ranked 9th by prescriptions & growing at 92 %) and Japan (ranked 7th and growing at 23%). The company is also the fastest growing, top 5 pharmaceutical players in India (ORG IMS - March 2009) and the fastest growing Generic player in South Africa (ranked 6th and growing at over 30 % annually - IMS March 2009). . . .
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Namaste
I was switched to Losartan in January, 2011 and the first batch came from Teva Pharmaceuticals. Blood pressure was well controlled. Second batch came from Lupin and BP is no longer well controlled. Does Lupin have the right formula? Now I get to go shopping for a pharmacy that still carries Losartan from Teva!
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