Six pharmaceutical companies have gone into partnership with Newark and Sherwood Clinical Commissioning Group to create an innovative project to improve care for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

PANNASH, The Pulmonary Advancement Network for Newark and Sherwood Health, will see Pfizer, GSK, Boehringer Ingelheim, Teva UK, AstraZeneca and MSD work together with the local acute trust, community providers and patients to improve care services.

Lisa Green, Assistant Chief Operating Officer, Newark and Sherwood CCG said the “additional support and expertise” in working with pharma “can help us achieve our goals”.

The primary aim of the project is to help people with COPD in Newark and Sherwood to better manage their condition, access services closer to their home and reduce emergency hospital admissions.

The prevalence of COPD in the region is higher than the national average due to a history of mining in the area. It is estimated that there are around 1,000 people living in the area with the condition, but who are yet to be diagnosed.

In 2010, 227 patients in the region were admitted to hospital suffering from an exacerbation of their COPD. Many of these were readmitted as a result of their condition.

COPD plays an integral part of the QIPP agenda for Newark and Sherwood CCG. PANNASH will run until July 2012.

Teva UK has launched generic versions of AstraZeneca’s blockbuster antipsychotic Seroquel and the extended-release Seroquel XR on the first day of patent expiry.

The launch follows the decision by a UK court that the patent on Seroquel XR, extending the brand’s exclusivity, is not valid.

The new generic Quetiapine and Quetiapine (Sondate) XL were also launched on the day that AZ lost its appeal against the FDA’s decision to allow generic competition to Seroquel in the US.

Quetiapine is indicated for treatment of schizophrenia and moderate to severe manic episodes, while Quetiapine XL is indicated for treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and for adjuvant treatment of major depressive disorder in patients whose response to antidepressant monotherapy is sub-optimal.

Both generics are available on Teva’s PriceWatch service, which matches the lower of Teva’s list price and the month’s average market price.

Kim Innes, Teva UK’s Commercial Director, said: “With the launch of Quetiapine and Quetiapine XL, we’re making more medicines accessible for more people. Launches like these help towards saving the NHS over GBP9bn on generic prescriptions.”

The Seroquel brand accounted for 17% of AstraZeneca’s revenue in 2011, with sales of $5.7bn including Seroquel XR sales of $1.49bn. The Seroquel patent cliff in Europe and the US is expected to impact severely on AZ in 2012.

Teva UK is part of Israel-based Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, the world’s largest generic drug manufacturer.

Teva UK has launched a generic version of GSK’s migraine drug Naramig (naratriptan hydrochloride) in the UK on the same day as Arrow Generics.

Available from Teva as a film-coated tablet, naratriptan is indicated for acute treatment of migraine headaches with or without aura.

Teva’s new generic is available through local territory managers and major wholesalers.

Kim Innes, Commercial Director of Teva UK, said: “We want to make more medicines accessible for more people and Naratriptan is our fifth day-one launch this year to add to our portfolio of over 700 products.”

He added that generic prescriptions increase profit margins and reduce costs for pharmacies, and save the NHS over £9bn per year.

Teva UK is based in Castleford, Yorkshire. It is part of the Israel-based company Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, the world’s largest generic drug manufacturer.

Teva UK has launched generic versions of Eisai’s Aricept (Donepezil Hydrochloride) and Aricept Evess (Donepezil Hydrochloride) for the symptomatic treatment of mild to moderately severe Alzheimer’s.

Donepezil film-coated tablets and Donepezil Orodispersible (OD) tablets are now immediately available in the company’s award-winning Teva 360 livery.

Kim Innes, Commercial Director at Teva, says the launch continues the company’s aim to help the NHS save more than £9bn each year by using generic prescriptions.

The launch of Donepezil and Donepezil Orodispersible is the third generic in as many weeks for the treatment of Alzheimer’s after Teva released Galantamine, Zeebral XL following the loss of patent protection.

“As the leading generics company in the UK we have the widest portfolio of our competitors, with over 700 product lines,” said Kim Innes. “We also have a growing presence in branded areas such as respiratory and in the hospital sector.

"We’re continuing 2012 with strong product launches and patent expiries. We’ve launched five products in six weeks, including this launch of Donepezil and Donepezil OD tablets (Galantamine, Zeebral XL, Latanoprost and Latanoprost + Timolol).”

Teva UK has launched a generic version of Pfizer’s Xalatan (latanoprost), an eye drop medication to reduce intraocular pressure in patients with open angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension.

Teva’s latanoprost was made available in the UK in the Teva 360 livery on the day following Xalatan’s patent expiry.

Kim Innes, Teva UK’s Commercial Director, said: “As the leading generics company in the country, Teva continues to lead with strong product launches and patent expired products.

“It’s good for pharmacy, because patent expiries provide them with the opportunities for increasing margins and keeping costs down. But even more importantly, we’re providing high-quality medicines for patients whilst doing our bit to save the NHS over £9bn a year.”

Based in Castleford, Teva UK is one of the UK’s leading drug manufacturers, active in the generics, branded respiratory and hospital markets.

Its Israeli parent company, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, is the world’s largest generic drug supplier with a global product portfolio of more than 1,300 compounds.

Teva UK has launched the first generic equivalent of Roche’s Xenical (Orlistat). 

Xenical is indicated in conjunction with a mildly hypocaloric diet for the treatment of obese or overweight patients.

Kim Innes, Commercial Director at Teva, says the company delighted to launch the generic in the country.

“As the UK's leading supplier of generics, we're pleased not only to have the widest portfolio of our competitors, but also to show that we're well-placed when it comes to innovation and being the first to market,” said the Commercial Director. 

Teva UK has launched two generic cardiac drugs in the UK: Valsartan tablets and capsules and Valsartan Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) tablets.

Valsartan is a generic version of Novartis’ Diovan and Valsartan HCTZ of Novartis’ Co-Diovan.

Both drugs are indicated for treatment of heart failure, hypertension and recent myocardial infarction.

The two generics are available in the Teva 360 livery and can be purchased through Teva UK’s territory sales managers.

Kim Innes, Commercial Director at Teva, said: “As the leading generics company in the country and with the widest portfolio, Teva continues with strong product launches and patent expiries. We’ve already launched 19 products this year, including now eight day one patent expiries.”

Generic drugs, he said, can help pharmacies to increase their margins and keep costs down, and can save the NHS over £7 billion per year.

Teva UK is a leading UK pharmaceutical manufacturer with a presence in the generics, branded respiratory and hospital markets.

The company is part of the Israeli corporation Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, the world’s largest manufacturer of generic drugs.

Teva UK has appointed Richard Daniell as its new Managing Director.

The former commercial operations officer succeeds Dipankar Bhattacharjee, who has been promoted to a wider European role, after more than two decades working with the Teva group.

Mr Daniell says he is “excited about driving the future and vision of Teva in the UK”.

Before being appointed commercial operations officer in 2009, the new MD served as a senior director at Teva UK after serving as director of generics at IVAX Pharmaceuticals UK.

“We want to keep growing, and keep serving our customers well, and I’m confident we can do both of those things with the talented people we have in our team,” said Mr Daniell.

“I’m delighted to be leading such a forward-thinking organisation and I’m proud to be at the helm of one of the UK’s leading pharmaceutical companies.”

The first-to-market generic of Salmeterol pMDI has been launched in the UK by Teva UK Ltd.

Salmeterol pMDI is a CFC-free inhaler indicated to help prevent breathing problems caused by asthma in those aged 12 years and over and other chest diseases.

Kim Innes, Commercial Director at Teva UK, says the generic manufacturer is “delighted” to bring the first version to the UK market.

The inhaler is available immediately in 25mcg per actuation pressurised inhalation.