CORONA, Calif., Dec. 31 Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE: WPI), a leader in generic and specialty branded pharmaceuticals, today announced that its subsidiary, Watson Laboratories, Inc., has received approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration to market its over-the-counter Nicotine Polacrilex Gum USP, coated mint flavor, in the 2 mg and 4 mg strengths.
Advertisement
Nicotine Polacrilex Gum, coated mint flavor, is the generic equivalent of GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare's Nicorette (R) fresh mint gum, which is used as an aid to smoking cessation. The market for over-the-counter nicotine gum had annual sales of over $300 million for the twelve months ending September 2008, according to IRI sales data. Watson will make the product available to customers in early January 2009.
Advertisement
"The approval of our mint flavored, coated nicotine gum is a significant addition to our line of generic smoking cessation products," said Paul Bisaro, Watson's President and Chief Executive Officer. "We also have applications pending at FDA for additional flavors and look forward further enhancing our line of smoking cessation products."
About Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a leading specialty pharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures, markets, sells and distributes generic and specialty brand pharmaceutical products. Watson pursues a growth strategy combining internal product development, strategic alliances and collaborations and synergistic acquisitions of products and businesses. For press releases and other company information, visit Watson Pharmaceuticals' Web site at http://www.watson.com.
Forward-Looking Statement
Any statements contained in this press release that refer to future events 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. Except as expressly required by law, Watson disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements. 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 impact of competitive products and pricing; market acceptance of and continued demand for Watson's products; difficulties or delays in manufacturing; the difficulty of predicting the timing or outcome of FDA or other regulatory agency approvals or actions, if any; patents and other intellectual property rights held by third parties; and other risks and uncertainties detailed in Watson's periodic public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to Watson's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007.
Nicorette (R) is a registered trademark of GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020214/WATSONLOGO)
SOURCE Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
