Lupin gets marketing approval for cefpodoxime proxetil in France

Lupin Ltd has announced that, together with it''s French regulatory agent Venipharm, it has received marketing approval in France for its 100mg generic cefpodoxime proxetil tablets.

The generic equivalent of Sanofi-Aventis''s Orelox tablets, which goes off patent in August 2007, cefpodoxime proxetil is a cephalosporin antibiotic used to treat a variety of bacterial infections. 

 Sales of Orelox tablets in France have been pegged at close to €75 million (approximately Rs440.85 crore) by IMS. and the market is the biggest European market for the drug.

Dr. Kamal Sharma, managing director, Lupin, said, "This is the first generic approval in France for Cefpodixime Proxetil and Lupin''s first significant approval in Europe. We will work with our partners to ensure launch of this generic upon patent expiry. We expect a number of other such approvals in Europe in the coming months."