AstraZeneca improves two medications' strength

WILMINGTON, Del. AstraZeneca added new indications to two of its products last week, the Anglo-Swedish drug maker announced.

The company launched two new strengths of Seroquel XR (quetiapine fumarate) extended-release tablets for acute treatment of depressive episodes associated with bipolar disorder and the manic and mixed episodes associated with bipolar I disorder as adjunctive therapy to lithium or divalproex, following the FDA's October 2008 approval of the drug for these uses. The new strengths, 50 mg and 150 mg, are in addition to the existing 200 mg, 300 mg and 400 mg strengths. The drug is also approved for treating schizophrenia.

The company also announced that the FDA had approved its Symbicort (budesonide and formoterol fumarate dihydrate) inhalers for treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

The drug has been available in the United States since June 2007 for treating asthma.