Watson Files FDA Application for Generic Nuvigil(R)
January 06 2010 - 11:06AM
PR Newswire (US)
- Paragraph IV Litigation Underway - MORRISTOWN, N.J., Jan. 6
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE:WPI),
a leading global specialty pharmaceutical company, today confirmed
that its subsidiary, Watson Laboratories, Inc., a Nevada
Corporation, filed an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) with
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration seeking approval to market
its 50 mg, 100 mg, 150mg, 200 mg, and 250mg strength armodafinil
tablets prior to the expiration of patents owned by Cephalon
France. Watson's 50 mg, 100 mg, 150mg, 200 mg and 250mg armodafinil
tablet products are generic versions of Cephalon, Inc.'s Nuvigil®,
which is indicated for the improvement of wakefulness in adults who
experience excessive sleepiness (ES) associated with treated
obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), shift work sleep disorder, also
known as shift work disorder (SWD), or narcolepsy. Cephalon, Inc.
and Cephalon France filed suit against Watson on January 5, 2010 in
the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware seeking to
prevent Watson from commercializing its product prior to the
expiration of U.S. Patent No. 7,132,570. Cephalon's suit was filed
under the provisions of the Hatch-Waxman Act, resulting in a stay
of final FDA approval of Watson's ANDA for up to 30 months or until
final resolution of the matter before the court, whichever occurs
sooner. Based on available information, Watson believes it may be a
"first applicant" to file an ANDA for the 100 mg and 200 mg
strengths of a generic version of Nuvigil® and, should its ANDA be
approved, may be entitled to 180 days of generic market exclusivity
for those strengths. For the twelve months ending September 30,
2009, Nuvigil® had total U.S. sales of approximately $42 million
according to IMS Health data. About Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a leading global specialty
pharmaceutical company. The Company is engaged in the development,
manufacturing, marketing and distribution of generic
pharmaceuticals and specialized branded pharmaceutical products
focused on Urology and Women's Health. Watson has operations in
many of the world's established and growing international markets.
For press release and other company information, visit Watson
Pharmaceuticals' Web site at http://www.watson.com/.
Forward-Looking Statement Statements contained in this press
release that refer to Watson's estimated or anticipated future
results or other non-historical facts are forward-looking
statements that reflect Watson's current perspective of existing
trends and information as of the date of this release. For
instance, any statements in this press release concerning prospects
related to Watson's product introductions and anticipated financial
performance are forward-looking statements. It is important to note
that Watson's goals and expectations are not predictions of actual
performance. Watson's performance, at times, will differ from its
goals and expectations. Actual results may differ materially from
Watson's current expectations depending upon a number of factors
affecting Watson's business. These factors include, among others,
the inherent uncertainty associated with financial projections; the
impact of competitive products and pricing; the difficulty of
predicting the timing or outcome of litigation; the timing and
success of product launches; the difficulty of predicting the
timing or outcome of product development efforts and FDA or other
regulatory agency approvals or actions; market acceptance of and
continued demand for Watson's products; difficulties or delays in
manufacturing; the availability and pricing of third party sourced
products and materials; successful compliance with FDA and other
governmental regulations applicable to Watson's and its third party
manufacturers' facilities, products and/or businesses; and such
other risks and uncertainties detailed in Watson's periodic public
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but
not limited to Watson's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the
period ended September 30, 2009. Except as expressly required by
law, Watson disclaims any intent or obligation to update these
forward-looking statements. Nuvigil® is a registered trademark of
Cephalon, Inc. (Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020214/WATSONLOGO)
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http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Watson Pharmaceuticals,
Inc. CONTACT: investors, Patty Eisenhaur, +1-973-355-8141, or,
media, Charlie Mayr, +1-973-355-8483, both for Watson
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Web Site: http://www.watson.com/
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