Wockhardt gets USFDA nod to market Ceftriaxone

New Delhi, Apr 16: Wockhardt Ltd today said it received approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) to market three more strengths of Ceftriaxone, enabling it to sell the full range of the antibiotic injection in the US.

The company also announced the launch of two more injections in the US market.

''We are launching three injection products in the US this week - Furosemide diuretic, Ketorolac anti-inflammatory and Ceftriaxone antibiotic,'' company Chairman Habil Khorakiwala said.

With three more products to be added this week, the company will have 20 products in the US.

The company already markets Ceftriaxone 1 gm injection. The new approval is for 250 mg, 500 mg and 2 gm strenghts.

Ceftriaxone injection is used for treating various kinds of bacterial infection, bone and joint infection, meningitis, abdominal, skin and urinary tract infections.

It is the generic name for Rocephin sold by Roche.

The US consumes over 25 million vials worth 200 million dollars an year as per IMS.

The Ceftriaxone range will be marketed by the company's US-based subsidiary Wockhardt USA Inc.

This is the fourth ANDA approval in four weeks and our sixth injection product in the US market, Mr Khorakiwala added.

''As the development and manufacture of the dosage forms and marketing are all undertaken in-house, the company is able to capture maximum value from its products sold in the US market,'' the company said.

The US is currently the company's third largest market after Europe and India.

UNI