Barr Contraceptive Approved

Barr Pharmaceuticals(BRL Quote) said Thursday that it has received permission to begin marketing Seasonique, an oral contraceptive that reduces the number of women's menstrual periods to quarterly from monthly.

The Food and Drug Administration approved the product, which will become the eventual successor to Seasonale, another so-called extended cycle contraceptive that also reduces periods to quarterly from monthly. Seasonique should be available in July.

Seasonale loses patent protection in September. Watson Pharmaceuticals(WPI Quote) has received tentative approval from the FDA to market a generic version pending expiration of the patent.

Barr's announcement, which came shortly before markets closed, helped raise the stock $1.13, or 2.2%, to a closing price of $53.75.

The Seasonique application received conditional approval in August 2005. Although an FDA ruling had been expected in March, the agency asked for more time to review the application and the company's proposed labeling.