ST. LOUIS, July 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- KV Pharmaceutical Company (NYSE: KVA; KVB) announced today that it has begun shipment of its 100 mg and 200 mg strengths of metoprolol succinate extended release tablets. Based on the Company’s first-to-file status on its ANDA for these two strengths, KV anticipates being accorded the benefit of a 180-day generic exclusivity period for the marketing of these two dosage strengths. The Company also announced that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has affirmed the judgment in the Company’s favor in its patent litigation with AstraZeneca. The decision clears the way for the Company to market its metoprolol succinate extended-release tablets without interference from the AstraZeneca patents.