3 Firms to Market Heartburn Drug

Three drug makers struck a deal to market a cheaper generic version of the heartburn drug Prilosec in the United States, ending AstraZeneca’s monopoly of the drug and starting a price war over the $6-billion-a-year medicine.

Andrx Corp., Schwarz Pharma and Merck signed the multiyear deal to share profits from Schwarz’s generic version, which has received final approval from the Food and Drug Administration.

The price of the drug could drop to less than $3 a capsule from more than $5, analysts said.