Boehringer Ingelheim launches co-pay rebate program for Viramune in USA; settles with Impax over Flomax

Independent German drugmaker Boehringer Ingelheim's US subsidiary has launched the Viramune (nevirapine) tablets/oral suspension Co-Pay Savings Program, a special program that will allow patients to save up to $50 on their health insurance co-payment on every monthly refill of a Viramune prescription for up to one year. Any patient with a prescription for the HIV/AIDS drug who has health insurance coverage requiring a patient co-payment is eligible for the program.

'There is a growing reliance by patients on co-pay and patient assistance programs offered by pharmaceutical companies and this rebate program makes it easier for HIV/AIDS patients to benefit,' said Albert Ros, executive vice president of sales and marketing at Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals. 'Initiatives to ease the financial burden of health insurance co-payment for HIV/AIDS patients such as this one underscore our commitment to helping patients obtain the care and treatment they need,' he added.

In addition, as part of the activation process patients can also enroll to receive free educational information and support from the Vlife on Therapy program.

Pending patent litigation resolved

Meantime, US generics firm Impax Laboratories says that it has reached agreement with Astellas Pharma and Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, to settle pending US litigation with regard to US Patent No 4,703,063 for the benign prostatic hyperplasia drug Flomax (tamsulosin) capsules through the entry of a consent judgment confirming the validity and infringement of the patent.

As a result of this settlement, the case will be terminated by the consent judgment and will provide Impax with the opportunity to launch a generic tamsulosin hydrochloride product on March 2, 2010, prior to the expiration of pediatric exclusivity. Further terms of the settlement will not be disclosed.

According to Wolters Kluwer Health, US sales of Flomax 0.4mg capsules were approximately $1.9 billion for the 12 months ended August 31, 2009.