The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 271 No 7275 p673
15 November 2003

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Products

Prescription Products
• Stalevo tablets
• Subcuvia injection
• Neoral capsules
• Methadone injection
• Gliclazide tablets
• Felodipine tablets
• Actos tablets
SPC changes
• Protopic ointment
• Casodex licensed indications
Discontinued products
• Menorest patches
Supply problems
• Feospan and Fefol Spansules
• Tritace capsules

Prescription Products

Stalevo tablets
Orion Pharma will be launching Stalevo (levodopa/carbidopa/entacapone) tablets on 20 November. Net price, 50mg/12.5mg/200mg 30 £24, 100 £80; 100mg/25mg/200mg 30 £24, 100 £80; 150mg/37.5mg/ 200mg 30 £24, 100 £80.

Subcuvia injection
Baxter Healthcare has launched Subcuvia, a subcutaneous human normal immunoglobulin for the treatment of primary immunodeficiency disease and secondary immune disorders associated with multiple myeloma or chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Net price, 5ml vial £29.60, 10ml £59.20.

Neoral capsules
Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK will be producing Neoral (ciclosporin) 10mg capsules in 60-capsule packs, net price £16.44, rather than 30-capsule packs. The change will take effect as soon as stocks of 30-capsule packs are exhausted.

Methadone injection
Synastone (methadone) 50mg in 1ml and 50mg in 2ml injection has been launched for use in narcotic abstinence syndrome suppression in opioid addiction (Auden Mckenzie). Net price, 10 x 1ml ampoules £20.45, 10 x 2ml ampoules £20.45. Legal category: CD.

Gliclazide tablets
Gliclazide 80mg tablets have been added to the Almus product range. Net price, 28 £2.50, 60 £6.

Felodipine tablets
Keloc SR (felodipine) tablets have been launched by APS/Berk. Net price, 5mg 28 £7.95, 10mg 28 £9.95.

Actos tablets
Takeda has added a 45mg tablet to its Actos (pioglitazone) product range. Net price, 28 £36.96.

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SPC changes

Protopic ointment
The shelf lives for Protopic (tacrolimus) ointment 0.03 per cent and 0.1 per cent have been extended from two years to three years (Fujisawa). See SPC.

Casodex licensed indications
The licensed indications for Casodex (bicalutamide) 150mg tablets have been changed (Astra Zeneca). Casodex is no longer licensed for the treatment of localised prostate cancer (see p671). See SPC.

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Discontinued products

Menorest patches
Menorest 37.5 (estradiol) hormone replacement patches will be discontinued from 1 December (Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK). Menorest 50 and 75 patches remain available. Details from the medical information department on 01276 698370.

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Supply problems

Feospan and Fefol Spansules
Feospan (ferrous sulphate) and Fefol (ferrous sulphate and folic acid) Spansule capsules are now back in stock with distributors Farillon (tel 01708 379000) and back orders have been sent out, according to Intrapharm Laboratories.

Tritace capsules
Following representations from the National Health Service, Aventis will endeavour to make a limited supply of Tritace (ramipril) capsules available until mid-January 2004 by repacking other presentations of the capsules or importation. Aventis will deal with requests for supplies of capsules, rather than tablets, on a case-by-case basis and pharmacists are advised to contact their wholesalers in the first instance about this. Both capsule and tablet presentations of generic ramipril are expect to be available following patent expiry in January 2004.

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