Par Pharmaceutical Begins Shipment of Generic Lotrel

Par Pharmaceutical Companies, Inc. PRX today announced that it began shipping all strengths of amlodipine besylate and benazepril hydrochloride capsules, the generic version of Novartis' Lotrel. Par has been awarded 180 days of marketing exclusivity for the 5/320mg and 10/320mg strengths, commencing at launch, for being the first to file an ANDA containing a paragraph IV certification for the product. According to IMS Health data, annual sales in the U.S. for these two strengths of Lotrel are approximately $361 million.