FDA approves first generic version of Crestor

Tim Casey | | Cardiovascular Business | Patient Care

The FDA announced on April 29 that it had approved the first generic version of Crestor (rosuvastatin calcium), a blockbuster oral cholesterol-lowering medication.

Watson Pharmaceuticals will market generic rosuvastatin calcium in multiple strengths to treat hypertriglyceridemia in adults, primary dysbetalipoproteinemia and homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia.

The FDA said that common side effects associated with rosuvastatin calcium in clinical trials included headache, myalgia, abdominal pain, asthenia and nausea. The agency also mentioned the drug should not be used in women who are pregnant or may become pregnant.

AstraZeneca, which marketed branded Crestor, said that its sales and profit would decline this year in part because Crestor would lose market exclusivity in May.

Tim Casey,

Executive Editor

Tim Casey joined TriMed Media Group in 2015 as Executive Editor. For the previous four years, he worked as an editor and writer for HMP Communications, primarily focused on covering managed care issues and reporting from medical and health care conferences. He was also a staff reporter at the Sacramento Bee for more than four years covering professional, college and high school sports. He earned his undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Notre Dame and his MBA degree from Georgetown University.

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