The Icelandic generics company launched olanzapine in two forms, as conventional film-coated tablets and as orally disintegrating tablets. Developed by Actavis’ R & D in Iceland, the tablets are produced at the company’s manufacturing site in Malta.

Olanzapine is used in the treatment of schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder and is the generic equivalent of Eli Lilly’s blockbuster antipsychotic drug Zyprexa.

Olanzapine has already been launched by Actavis in a number of European countries including Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Iceland, Malta, Slovakia and Spain.

This is not the first generics manufacturer to put pressure on Zyprexa sales. On day one, after Eli Lilly’s patent exclusivity expired in Spain (25 April 2011), Ranbaxy Laboratories launched a generic version of the treatment [1].

It is not surprising that generics manufacturers are waiting in the sidelines for this is a massive opportunity. Zyprexa has been Eli Lilly’s biggest selling medication ever. In 2010, Zyprexa’s worldwide sales were just over US$5 billion, or nearly 22% of Eli Lilly’s full year sales [2]. Half of those sales are estimated to come from the US where the patent protection for Zyprexa will expire at the end of October 2011 [1].

References

1. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. Ranbaxy launches generic olanzapine in Spain [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2011 October 7]. Available from: www.gabionline.net/Generics/News/Ranbaxy-launches-generic-olanzapine-in-Spain

2. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. 2011’s biggest patent expiries [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2011 October 7]. Available from: www.gabionline.net/Policies-Legislation/2011-s-biggest-patent-expiries