Wockhardt Launches Generic Version Of Anti-Depressant Drug Wellbutrin® SR

Pharmaceutical and biotechnology major Wockhardt has received final approval from the United States Food & Drug Administration (US FDA) for marketing 100 mg, 150 mg and 200 mg 12-Hr extended release tablets of Bupropion HCl

Mumbai, Maharashtra (I-Newswire) September 3, 2012 - Pharmaceutical and biotechnology major Wockhardt has received final approval from the United States Food & Drug Administration (US FDA) for marketing 100 mg, 150 mg and 200 mg 12-Hr extended release tablets of Bupropion HCl which is used in the treatment of depression. Bupropion is the generic name for the brand Wellbutrin® SR, marketed in the US by Glaxo Smithkline. Wockhardt is launching the product immediately.

According to IMS Health, the total market for this product in the US is about $268 million. Depression is a rapidly growing condition globally and Bupropion is one of the more used drugs for treating this condition.

“This is our sixth ANDA approval in past two weeks and Bupropion SR 12-Hr is yet another product based on extended-release technology,” said Dr. Habil Khorakiwala, Wockhardt Founder Chairman & Group CEO. “Extended Release technology is a core competency of Wockhardt’s R&D and they have consistently risen to the challenge of developing these technically challenging products,” he added.

In the US generic pharmaceutical market, Wockhardt has been consistently growing market shares for all its products. In many instances, Wockhardt, by virtue of being amongst the few players to market technically challenging products has reaped the advantage of being an early entrant.

Wockhardt will be manufacturing the extended release tablets of Bupropion 12-Hr at its facility in Waluj, India. The technology for the tablets was developed in-house.


About Wockhardt:

Wockhardt is a high-technology intensive global pharmaceutical and biotechnology company with multi-disciplinary and innovative R&D programmes. It has 3 research centres globally and manufacturing facilities across India, USA, UK and Ireland. Wockhardt has a significant presence in USA, Europe and India, with 75% of its global revenues coming from international businesses. With a large pool of Patents and Intellectual Property knowhow, Wockhardt is home to 578 scientists, of whom 80 are doctorates. In all, Wockhardt has 164 Patents granted worldwide. In biotechnology research, it has built a competent ‘Concept to Market’ capabilities in all facets of development and manufacture of recombinant biopharmaceuticals. Wockhardt boasts of a multi-ethnic workforce of more than 7,900 people from 21 different nationalities.

Wellbutrin® SR is a registered trademark of Glaxo Smithkline.