Lupin gets US FDA nod for pneumonia drug

Pharmaceuticals manufacturer Lupin said it has received US authorities’ approval to sell pneumonia medicine Atovaquone suspension.

The drug had sales of approximately USD 117.4 million per year in the US.

The 750 mg/5 mL oral solution is the generic version of GlaxoSmithKline’s Mepron Oral Suspension.

It is indicated for prevention and acute oral treatment of mild-to-moderate Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) in patients intolerant to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX).

Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) is a serious infection that causes inflammation and fluid buildup in the lungs, caused by a fungus called Pneumocystis jiroveci.

The infection is not a threat for normal individuals, but can be life-threatening for those with compromised immune systems, such as AIDS patients.

Lupin is the eighth largest generics pharmaceutical company both in terms of market capitalization and revenues globally.

The Company is the fourth largest pharmaceutical player in the US by prescriptions  and the third largest Indian pharmaceutical company by global revenues.