Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. announced the launch of a generic equivalent of Epzicom®1 (abacavir and lamivudine) tablets, 600 mg/300 mg, in the United States (U.S.).
Abacavir and lamivudine tablets are indicated in combination with other antiretroviral agents for the treatment of HIV-1 infection. When used in combination with other antiretroviral medicines used to treat HIV-1 infection, abacavir and lamivudine tablets may help to:
- Reduce the amount of HIV-1 in affected patients’ blood (viral load)
- Increase the number of CD4+ (T) cells in affected patients’ blood to help fight off other infections
Reducing the amount of HIV-1 and increasing the CD4+ (T) cells in the blood may help improve affected patients’ immune systems, and may reduce the risk of death or getting infections that can happen when a patient’s immune system is weak (opportunistic infections). Abacavir and lamivudine tablets are not a cure for HIV or AIDS.
Teva continues its commitment to strengthening its generics business with continued investment in newer, higher-quality generic products. With nearly 600 generic medicines available, Teva has the largest portfolio of FDA-approved generic products on the market. The addition of this product to Teva’s HIV antiretroviral portfolio allows Teva to continue to grow in this therapeutic area.
To date, Teva has over 300 product registrations pending FDA approval and holds the leading position in first-to-file opportunities, with over 100 pending first-to-files in the U.S. Currently, 1-in-6 generic prescriptions dispensed in the U.S. is filled with a Teva generic product.
Epzicom® (abacavir and lamivudine) tablets had annual sales of approximately $449 million in the U.S. according to IMS data as of July 2016.
1 Epzicom® is a registered trademark of GlaxoSmithKline.
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