NEW YORK (AP) – Days after a study indicated that hormone-blocking pills called aromatase inhibitors can reduce the risk of breast cancer, generic drugmaker APP Pharmaceuticals Inc. said it will start marketing a version of the drug.
APP, a unit of Fresenius Kabi Pharmaceuticals Holding Inc., said the Food and Drug Administration approved its generic version of the drug Femara, which is marketed by Novartis AG. Femara, which is also called letrozole, is used to prevent recurrences of breast cancer in patients who are past menopause.
On Saturday, a study found that drugs like Femara cut the risk of developing breast cancer by more than half. Other drugs in the group included Aromasin and Arimidex. The U.S. patent on Aromasin expired in April, and generic versions are already on the market. The patents supporting the drug in Europe and Japan will expire in July. The generic version is called exemestane.
APP said 1.8 million bottles of 30 Femara tablets were sold in the U.S. over the 12 months ended June 2010, bringing in revenue of $619.4 million. Shares of Novartis rose 12 cents to $63.13 in afternoon trading.
Date: June 7, 2011
Source: Associated Press
Filed Under: Drug Discovery