Costa Mesa Firm Gets FDA’s OK to Market an Israeli Cancer Drug

International Pharmaceutical Products Inc., a Costa Mesa-based pharmaceutical company, said it has received Food and Drug Administration approval to market Abitrexate, the brand name of a cancer-treatment drug, for an Israeli manufacturer.

The product is the generic equivalent of methotrexate, a drug originally developed by New York-based Lederle Laboratories in 1982.

International Pharmaceutical Products has an exclusive marketing agreement with ABIC Ltd. of Israel, which will manufacture the drug.