Andrx Gets Tentative OK to Sell Generic Glucotrol

Andrx(ADRX Quote) got tentative approval from the Food and Drug Administration to sell a generic version of Pfizer's(PFE Quote) diabetes treatment Glucotrol, although patent litigation over the drug continues.

Traders pushed the shares up 81 cents, or 5%, to $17.85 on the Instinet premarket session following the news.

Andrx's version of the treatment, which is known generically as glipizide, will be a 10-milligram extended-release tablet. The company said Glucotrol XL did $217 million of sales in 2002. The company is seeking regulatory approval for 2.5-milligram and 5-milligram tablets as well. ...