STOCKHOLM (Dow Jones)--Icelandic generic pharmaceuticals company Actavis Group Hf. (ACT.IC) Monday said it has launched the cardiovascular product Ramipril in France upon patent expiry.
The product is sold via Actavis' subsidiary, Medis to third party customers, who market the product under their own label.
The first deliveries account for close to 20 million capsules in four strengths.
In recent years, Ramipril sales have risen strongly, the company said; firstly due to the increase of cardiac events in the developed countries and secondly due to a recent research finding which demonstrates the benefits of Ramipril for people at high risk for cardiovascular events.
In most of the European countries, the Ramipril patent expired in January 2004.
Actavis said it has already launched Ramipril in these markets and today, Ramipril is among Actavis' top-selling products.
Gudbjorg Edda Eggertsdottir, executive vice-president of Third-party Sales Global, said that in recent years, the French generic market has been the fastest growing market in Europe.
Medis has made an effort to expand its sales into France and Ramipril is expected to increase market share in this market, which has already become one of Medis' most important markets, the company said.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
