Deal reached over generic Wellbutrin XL

Biovail Corp. reached a settlement with four generic-drug makers that delays sales of cheaper copies of one form of its antidepressant Wellbutrin XL until next year.

The deal resolves complaints against Anchen Pharmaceuticals, Impax Laboratories Inc., Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc., Mississauga, Canada-based Biovail said Monday.

Biovail reported $302.2 million in Wellbutrin XL sales for the first nine months of 2006, or 42% of the company’s product revenue. Under the settlement, the generic-drug makers won’t be able to market copies of the 150-milligram dose of Wellbutrin XL until 2008, and Teva, Anchen and Impax will have an exclusive license for 180 days after entering the market.

Teva, with partners Anchen and Impax, will continue to sell the 300-milligram form of the drug without any other generic competitors, including a so-called authorized generic or unbranded version by Biovail. That exclusivity term ends June 13.