Perrigo Receives FDA Approval To Market Coated Fruit Nicotine Gum
06/04/07
The Perrigo Company
(Nasdaq: PRGO; TASE) today announced that it has received approval from the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market over-the-counter coated
nicotine polacrilex gum USP, 2 mg (coated fruit) and 4 mg (coated fruit).
The product will be marketed under store brand labels and is comparable
to GlaxoSmithKline's Nicorette(R) Fruit Chill(TM) coated gum, which is an
aid to smoking cessation. "This first store brand approval of coated fruit
nicotine gum extends our leading store brand position. The expanded range
of smoking cessation products also includes coated mint-flavored gum,
uncoated gum and lozenges," said Joseph C. Papa, Perrigo's President and
Chief Executive Officer. Nicorette(R) Fruit Chill(TM) gum is selling at an
annual rate estimated at over $70 million at all retail outlets. First
shipments are expected within the first quarter of fiscal 2008.
The Perrigo Company is a leading global healthcare supplier and the
world's largest manufacturer of over-the-counter (OTC) pharmaceutical and
nutritional products for the store brand market. Store brand products are
sold by food, drug, mass merchandise, dollar store and club store retailers
under their own labels. The Company also develops, manufactures and markets
prescription generic drugs, active pharmaceutical ingredients and consumer
products, and operates manufacturing facilities in the United States,
Israel, United Kingdom, Mexico, Germany and China. Visit Perrigo on the
Internet (