Teva launches first generic Lipitor in UK
pharmafile | May 8, 2012 | News story | Sales and Marketing | Lipitor, NHS, Pfizer, Teva, atorvastatin
Teva has launched the first generic Lipitor in the UK on the day the drug loses its patent protection.
The NHS in England spent over £310 million on the anti-cholesterol drug last year, making it the second highest spend on any drug treatment.
But the NHS can look forward to substantial savings from generic copies now that Pfizer’s drug has lost patent protection.
Teva’s pill comes in 10mg, 20mg, 40mg and 80mg strengths and will cost 14 times less than the branded drug.
A 28-pack of low-dose 10mg Lipitor currently costs the NHS £13, but Teva is offering its low dose form of the drug at just 91 pence.
The highest price for atorvastatin is £2.26 for the high dose 80mg for a month’s supply, compared to £28.21 for Lipitor.
Kim Innes, commercial director at Teva, said: “We’re delighted to be able to launch atorvastatin in the UK on the day its patent expires.
“Millions of prescriptions are written each year in the UK for atorvastatin, and the availability of the generic will save the NHS millions of pounds each year,” she added.
Lipitor was once the biggest selling drug in the world, bringing in $13 billion in peak annual sales.
But this has been decimated since losing its US patent protection on the drug last year, and will be further eroded by today’s generic competition in the UK and across Europe.
Ben Adams
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