Perrigo says it has exclusive rights to sell over-the-counter versions of seasonal allergy products Allegra and Allegra D-12
As posted in Business Journal
Kalamazoo Gazette staff
ALLEGAN — Perrigo Co. says it has acquired exclusive rights to sell over-the-counter, store-brand versions of Sanofi-Aventis’ seasonal allergy products Allegra and Allegra D-12.
Sanofi-Aventis has applied to the U.S Food and Drug Administration to make the prescription-to-OTC switch of the drugs — Fexofenadine HCl 180-mg and 60-mg tabs, and Fexofenadine HCl 60-mg and Pseudoephedrine 120-mg tabs.
In the meantime, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. has approval to market the prescription versions of the products.
“This is another example of Perrigo’s strategic focus on making quality healthcare more affordable to American consumers by introducing new Rx-to-OTC switch products,” Perrigo Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Joseph C. Papa stated in a press release.
Allegan-based Perrigo is a leading maker and seller of over-the-counter and generic prescription pharmaceuticals, nutritional products, infant formula and consumer products.
Prior to generic competition entering the prescription market for Fexofenadine products in 2005, Allegra 180 mg and 60 mg had combined annual sales of $1.5 billion, Perrigo estimated. Allegra D-12 had annual sales of $600 million In 2009, according to data from Wolters-Kluwer.