Sun gets nod to sell anti-anxiety drug in US

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries on Friday said that it has received the US Food and Drug Administration's nod to market a generic version of alprazolam, an anti-anxiety drug, in the US market.

The company has received the USFDA's nod for marketing generic alprazolam tablets in four strengths -- 0.25 mg, 0.55 mg, 1 mg and 2 mg -- in the US market, Sun Pharma said in a statement.

Generic alprazolam tablets are equivalent to Pfizer's patented Xanax tablets. Alprazolam has annual sales of $145 million in the United States.

On Thursday, the company had received the US health regulator's nod for marketing a generic version of the Keppra injection, used for treating epilepsy, in the American market. The annual sales estimation for Levetiracetam injections in the US is $85 million, the company said.

Shares of Sun Pharma were trading at Rs 1,695 in the late afternoon trade on BSE, down 0.37 per cent from its previous close.