Allergy sufferers getting new versions of Zyrtec
Monday, December 31, 2007
TRENTON, N.J. -- Allergy sufferers who take the popular prescription medication Zyrtec are getting several new options that don't require a prescription.
On Monday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave approval for Ohm Laboratories Inc. of North Brunswick to sell generic versions of New York-based Pfizer Inc.'s Zyrtec. The antihistamine, which doesn't make takers sleepy, generated about $1.3 billion in annual sales but lost patent protection in late December.
Ohm will sell the drug without a prescription under its chemical name, cetirizine hydrochloride, in five and 10 milligram doses. The medicine treats hives and allergy symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing and itching of the nose, throat and eyes.
Ohm, which sells generic, private label and nonprescription medicines in this country, is a subsidiary of Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd., India's biggest drug company.
Jim Meehan, Ohm's vice president of sales and distribution, said the products will be launched immediately.
Last Friday, FDA approved Caraco Pharmaceutical Laboratories Ltd. of Detroit and Perrigo Co. of Allegan, Mich. to sell cetirizine hydrochloride as a generic, over-the-counter drug, also in five and 10 milligram doses.