FDA APPROVES TEVA'S POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL

The U.S. FDA has approved Israel-based Teva Pharmaceutical's generic version of a treatment for occasional constipation, which will be marketed and distributed in the U.S.

The product, polyethylene glycol 3350 NF for oral solution, is the AB-rated generic equivalent of Braintree's Miralax for oral solution. According to Teva, total annual sales of the product are approximately $153 million.

Teva also recently announced that Copaxone, the company's treatment for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, posted record sales of $329 million in the first quarter ended March 31, 2006. According to the company, Copaxone was the fastest growing multiple sclerosis therapy worldwide, with a growth of 29 percent in sales over the comparable quarter of 2005.