Ranbaxy Laboratories (Ranbaxy) a member of the Daiichi Sankyo Group, has launched the generic versions of atorvastatin tablets, 10mg, 20 mg, 40mg and 80mg in Italy and Sweden and 10mg, 20mg and 40mg in the Netherlands, after receiving approval from the respective local regulatory authorities. In accordance with its settlement agreement with Pfizer, Ranbaxy has introduced the product ahead of the applicable patent expiration. Pfizer's patent expires in Italy on May 8, 2012 and in the Netherlands and Sweden on May 06, 2012.

Atorvastatin, a cholesterol reducing drug, is the largest selling pharmaceutical product in Italy with sales of US$ 377 million (IMS MAT December, 2011). The market size for atorvastatin in the Netherlands is US$ 164.4 million (IMS MAT December, 2011) and in Sweden is US$ 55 million (IMS MAT December, 2011) and is the largest selling statin product in these two markets.

Ranbaxy will be promoting the drug directly to all channel partners including retail pharmacies and wholesalers in Italy and the Netherlands. In Sweden the company will be offering its drug through the official pricing and reimbursement scheme covering generic medicines, to all retail pharmacies.

Commenting on the launch, Debashis Dasgupta, regional director for Ranbaxy in Western Europe, said, "Ranbaxy is pleased to offer a generic version of the most prescribed statin, in Italy, the Netherlands and Sweden. It is an effective, high quality and affordable bio-equivalent to the innovator product and will immensely benefit the healthcare systems and patients in these countries."

Ranbaxy Italia is among the top 10 pharmaceutical companies in the fast growing generic market in Italy and offers a wide range of products covering more than 25 therapeutic segments. In the Netherlands and Sweden, Ranbaxy offers a variety of products in antibiotic, CVS, CNS, GI, metabolic, BPH, ortho segments etc., with market leadership in certain major molecules.

Earlier on November 30, 2011, Ranbaxy launched atorvastatin, a generic version of Lipitor in the US market with 180 days of marketing exclusivity, as it was a First-to-File (FTF) applicant for the product. Recently, in February 2012, Ranbaxy became the first company to launch generic atorvastatin in Australia.