Actavis launches generic gastric acid therapy in Europe

Actavis has announced the European debut of the generic product Rabeprazole Sodium Actavis, for the treatment of various conditions related to problems with gastric acid.

The drug is an off-label version of Janssen's branded product Pariet, a proton pump inhibitor that is capable of interfering with the production of gastric acid in the stomach.

Sales of Pariet in Europe were estimated at around 305 million euros (245.32 million pounds) for the year ending June 2012, with the generic version launching this month immediately after the patent on the original product expired.

Rabeprazole Sodium Actavis is now available in Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands and the UK, with an Italian launch soon to follow.

This comes in the same month that Watson Pharmaceuticals completed its 4.25 billion euro takeover of Actavis, creating the third-largest generic pharmaceutical company in the world.

Watson will be applying the Actavis name to the new global entity, with a multi-year rebranding process set to commence in 2013.