Authorised generic versions of Proscar, Zocor launched

Hyderabad, Jun 24 (UNI) Riding on global companies loosing patent protection, Hyderabad-based pharma major Dr Reddy's Laboratories today announced that it had launched the generic version of cholestrol-lowering drug 'Zicor' and 'Proscar' for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Merck's patent on Proscar, which registered USD 393 million sales upto December 2005, expired on June 19, and Zicor, another of its drug with USD 4.5 billion sales whose patent had expired on June 23 this year.

Dr Reddy's, which has a tie up with Merck, said in a release here that it has launched the authorized generic version of Merck's Proscar tablets 5mg (finasteride) on June 19, 2006. The Company has also launched the authorized generic version of Merck's Zocor tablets (simvastatin) 5mg, 10mg, 20mg, 40mg and 80mg on June 23, 2006.

In January 2006, the Company entered into separate agreements with Merck that allowed it to launch the authorized generic versions of Proscar tablets (finasteride) and Zocor tablets (simvastatin).

The New York exchange-listed company, however, did not disclose the specific terms and conditions of the agreement.

UNI DB ROY 1457