Generic competition grows for Pfizer's Revatio
Mylan receives FDA approval to make generic version of Pfizer drug Revatio
CANONSBURG, Pa. (AP) -- Generic drugmaker Mylan Inc. has received regulatory approval to make a cheaper version of Pfizer Inc.'s drug Revatio, which treats high blood pressure in lung arteries.
Mylan's announcement Tuesday comes a day after Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc. said it received approval to sell a generic version of the drug.
The main ingredient in Revatio is sildenafil citrate. That also is the main component of Pfizer's blockbuster impotence pill Viagra, which was originally developed to treat blood pressure problems. Viagra tablets contain larger doses of the drug than Revatio.
Mylan said the Food and Drug Administration approved its application for a 20-milligram tablet dose of sildenafil citrate. The Canonsburg, Pa., company said it has started shipping the product, and Revatio had $338.7 million in U.S. sales in the 12 months that ended Sept. 30.
New York-based Pfizer, the world's largest drugmaker, has been hit hard by the introduction of generic drugs in the past year. The company also has lost patent protection for cholesterol fighter Lipitor, the world's top-selling drug.
Other drugs with new generic competition include the blockbuster schizophrenia drug Geodon and the blood pressure and cholesterol combo pill Caduet.
