Forest Labs to develop new fibromyalgia treatment

NEW YORK Forest Labs will make a new treatment for fibromyalgia available near the end of the month, Forest and licensor Cypress Bioscience announced Monday.

The companies will ship Savella (milnacipran hydrochloride) to wholesalers on April 24, and it will become available at pharmacies starting April 28. The Food and Drug Administration approved the drug in January.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that causes pain in the muscles, ligaments and tendons, as well as tender points and fatigue. It affects about 2% of the population in the United States and is more common in women than in men, according to the Mayo Clinic.