Actavis launches Letrozole tablets across Europe

Actavis has announced the launch of the generic breast cancer treatment Letrozole tablets in a number of European territories.

The company has released the new off-label equivalent of Novartis' branded product Femara on the first day after its patent expired, with launches taking place in the UK, Ireland, Austria, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, among other countries.

It coincides with the release of Letrozole by Actavis in Poland, which is a patent-free market for this product, while further European launches will follow in the coming months.

Sales of the product by Novartis under the Femara brand name came to around 403 million euros (356.4 million pounds) in 2010, according to IMS Health data.

The drug is specified for postmenopausal women and is available in 2.5mg strength in packs of 14 and 28.

Last month, the company expanded its range of generic therapies further with the introduction of Repaglinide tablets, an off-label therapy for type 2 diabetes.