Glaxo Wellcome has received approval to market its smoking cessation treatment, bupropion, in most European countries. United Kingdom marketing is expected in the late summer.
Bupropion (Zyban tablets) is the first nicotine-free prescription medicine for use as an aid to smoking cessation. It is taken twice daily for a course of seven to 10 weeks. Glaxo Wellcome says that the drug is believed to act on the central nervous system addiction pathways to decrease craving and reduce the effect of withdrawal symptoms.
In the United States, bupropion is marketed for smoking cessation and also as an antidepressant.