Purepac Pharmaceutical Co, a subsidiary of Alpharma Inc, has received approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to manufacture and market tizanidine hydrochloride tablets 2mg and 4mg. The company expects to launch in the near future.

Alpharma's tizanidine hydrochloride tablets, to be marketed under the Purepac brand, are the generic equivalent of Zanaflex brand tablets, marketed by Elan Pharmaceuticals. Zanaflex is indicated for the management of spasticity. Brand sales of Zanaflex tablets were approximately $150 million for the year-ended December 2001.

Zanaflex is a registered trademark of Elan Corporation.

Alpharma Inc is a growing specialty pharmaceutical company with expanding global leadership positions in products for humans and animals. Uniquely positioned to expand internationally, Alpharma is presently active in more than 60 countries.