Teva Launches Generic Injectables in U.S.

Generic launches of the antibiotic Zyvox and the blood-thinner Lovenox have bolstered Teva’s U.S. injectables portfolio, the Israeli generics maker said.

Teva launched seven doses of Sanofi’s Lovenox (enoxaparin sodium injection), as well as the only approved dose of Pfizer’s Zyvox (linezolid) and appears to be the first generics maker to hit the market with copies of either therapy. The FDA currently lists no therapeutic equivalent to either.

Lovenox, a prophylactic for deep vein thrombosis in surgery patients, had annual U.S. sales of around $1.8 billion as of last November, according to IMS Health. It will be manufactured in partnership with Italian fine chemicals company Chemi SPA.

Zyvox, which is used to treat infections from Gram-positive bacteria, had annual sales of about $464 million as of October, IMS data show.

The two injectables join several older injectables that Teva recently reintroduced — leucovorin calcium for injection (100 mg/vial), methylprednisolone acetate injectable suspension, USP (40 mg/mL) and ondansetron injection, USP (2 mg/mL). — Bryan Koenig