Generic version of allergy aid Allegra to be sold by Barr, Teva

07 Sep, 2005

Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. are planning to sell a generic form of Sanofi-Aventis's Allegra allergy tablets without waiting for approval from a U.S. court.

Barr, which has got the exclusive marketing rights on generic Allegra for 180 days, and Teva, the world's biggest generic-drug company, will share the profits and the risk that a judge will rule against them in a patent-infringement suit by Sanofi.

Allegra generated about $1.4 billion in U.S. sales for Sanofi, based in Paris, in the 12 months that ended in June, 2005. According to Barr, the generic drug could take 70 percent of that market, unless Sanofi decides to launch its own unbranded version of the drug.

Barr began limited sales of the drug last week in a ''surprise'' launch intended to establish its exclusive rights for the six-month period. Barr also wanted to catch Sanofi off guard so it wouldn't file court papers to block the sales or launch of its own generic version of Allegra.

This agreement and launch represent an extraordinary opportunity for consumers and for both the companies. The agreement with Teva will enable Barr to maximize the opportunity, while sharing the risk of the ongoing litigation.

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