Leiner Health Products announced the availability of solubilized ibuprofen 200mg liquid-filled capsules. The product, formulated to provide a private label version to Advil Liqui-gels, is the first and only brand alternative product available to the nation's leading retailers for private label marketing.

Positioned to take advantage of consumers' preference for the liquid capsule dosage form, the liquid ibuprofen softgels offer retailers a unique opportunity to capture a growing market, according to Ted Green, Leiner's vice president of over-the-counter marketing. "Market scan data tell us that even though ibuprofen dollar sales in food, drug, and mass channels have levelled off at over $500 million annually, unit sales are up due to increasing private label market share."

Green notes that the fastest growing ibuprofen product is Advil's liquid-filled gelatin capsule, marketed by Wyeth. "Sales are up 24% according to IRI [Information Resources Inc.] for the 12-month period ending October 6, 2002. Advil's national advertising campaign is telling a great story about consumer benefits of the dosage form: It's easy to swallow, faster acting than Tylenol, and pharmaceutically elegant. We expect to see sales of this product to continue to grow." Advil's advertising media buys exceeded $27 million in support of the product for the 12-month period ending June 2002.

Shipments of Leiner's liquid ibuprofen softgel product will begin in early February 2003. Leiner is booking sales commitments now to ensure that private label packaging will be ready to meet the February launch date.