Late last year, Janssen's (actually Miles Pharmaceuticals) powerhouse fluroquinolone - LEVAQUIN, had its patent protection expire. What had been a $29.00 USD (per tablet, with a ten-tablet average per script) medication) as of July, 2011, has three generic rivals. Dr.Reddy's Labs (India, Mexico), Teva Pharmaceuticals (Israel, USA), and Greenstone, Ltd (Michigan, USA) each have approved versions of the medication available to the pharmaceutical market.
It has taken almost six months for availability and distribution to "hit every corner" of the U.S., Dr. Reddy's was the first available in my hometown in Pennsylvania. I've had no problems with the quality of any of Reddy Labs' offerings in the past, even though they've had issues . Teva is a first-rate producer of pharmaceuticals, the "Cadillac" of generic drug makers (IMHO, Mylan is of equivalent stature). My pharmacist, whom I interviewed for this post, has had little experience with Greenstone, so I won't elaborate with regards to them.
Why has levofloxacin been so slow to saturate the market?? Primarily because of the costs involved with product liability insurance coverage borne by the manufacturer, distributor, and the pharmacy's liability carrier. Levofloxacin has a myriad of bad side effects, including effects on the heart, tendons, severe insomnia, and more. At least 50% of the retail cost of the generic med will reflect that liability cost, all of this adds up, and is the main reasoning behind the "slow to market" appearance of this life-saving, powerful anti-infective.
Per: Moderator Tim
Many thanks to MSP, R.Ph. for his help in compiling this info!!
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