Sciele receives FDA approval for four Sular dosages

ATLANTA Sciele Pharma has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration for all four dosage strengths of the formulation for the company’s drug Sular.

Sular is used for the treatment of hypertension either along or in combination with other antihypertensive agents. The drug is available in 10, 20, 30 and 40 mg strengths. The new formulation of the drug uses SkyePharma’s geomatrix technology, which provides a lower dose of Sular for each of its current doses.

Therapy usually should be initiated with 20 mg orally once daily, then increased by 10 mg per week or longer intervals, to attain adequate control of blood pressure.

The company expects to launch the new formulation of the drug during the first quarter of 2008.