Lupin launches generic drug for insomnia

The Dollar Business Bureau

Lupin Ltd, a transnational pharmaceutical company developing an extensive range of generic and branded formulations, has launched Zolpidem Sublingual tablets - a generic drug prescribed for insomnia, in the American markets.

The first product from its GAVIS pipeline, Zolpidem Sublingual Tablets is a generic equivalent of Purdue Pharma LP’s Intermezzo® Sublingual Tablets.

Lupin, the sixth largest generic player in the US, launched the drug after receiving a final approval from the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and a final clearance from the FTC, with six months of marketing exclusivity.

Intermezzo® Sublingual Tablets are indicated for treating insomnia, a sleep disorder where a person finds difficulty in falling and/or staying asleep.

Earlier this month, in a $880 million deal, Lupin had acquired the privately held GAVIS Pharmaceuticals LLC and Novel Laboratories (GAVIS) in order to enhance the company's scale in the US generic market.

In the US, Intermezzo® had sales touching $9.46 million, according to IMS MAT December 2015 figures.