Teva Announces Launch of a Generic Version of Tracleer® (bosentan) Tablets in the United States

Bosentan Tablets are an endothelin receptor antagonist indicated for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH, WHO Group 1) in adults to improve exercise ability and to decrease worsening of the condition. PAH is high blood pressure in the blood vessels of the lungs. Due to the risks of liver damage, and serious birth defects, Bosentan Tablets are available only through a restricted distribution program called the Bosentan REMS Program.

“The launch of Bosentan Tablets in the U.S. is an important addition to Teva’s generics portfolio,” said Brendan O’Grady, EVP and Head of North America Commercial. “The exact cause of PAH is unknown with no known cure.² We are proud to offer another generic treatment option to patients living with this chronic condition.”

With nearly 500 generic medicines available, Teva has the largest portfolio of FDA-approved generic products on the market and holds the leading position in first-to-file opportunities, with over 100 pending first-to-files in the U.S. Currently, one in nine generic prescriptions dispensed in the U.S. is filled with a Teva generic product.

About Bosentan Tablets

Bosentan Tablets are indicated for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) (WHO Group 1) in adults to improve exercise ability and to decrease clinical worsening. Studies establishing effectiveness included predominantly patients with WHO Functional Class II-IV symptoms and etiologies of idiopathic or heritable PAH (60%), PAH associated with connective tissue diseases (21%), and PAH associated with congenital heart disease with left-to-right shunts (18%).

Important Safety Information

WARNING: Risks of Hepatotoxicity and Embryo-Fetal Toxicity. Because of the risks of hepatotoxicity and birth defects, Bosentan Tablets are available only through a restricted program called the Bosentan REMS Program. Elevations of liver aminotransferases (ALT, AST) and liver failure have been reported with bosentan. Bosentan is likely to cause major birth defects if used by pregnant females based on animal data. Therefore, pregnancy must be excluded before the start of treatment with Bosentan Tablets.

Use of bosentan is contraindicated in females who are or may become pregnant. To prevent pregnancy, females of reproductive potential must use two reliable forms of contraception during treatment and for one month after stopping bosentan. Coadministration of cyclosporine A and bosentan resulted in markedly increased plasma concentrations of bosentan. Therefore, concomitant use of bosentan and cyclosporine A is contraindicated. An increased risk of liver enzyme elevations was observed in patients receiving glyburide concomitantly with bosentan. Therefore coadministration of glyburide and bosentan is contraindicated. Bosentan is contraindicated in patients who are hypersensitive to bosentan or any component of the product. Observed reactions include Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS), anaphylaxis, rash, and angioedema.

Peripheral edema is a known clinical consequence of PAH and worsening PAH and is also a known effect of bosentan and other endothelin receptor antagonists. In PAH clinical trials with bosentan, combined adverse events of fluid retention or edema were reported in 1.7% (placebo-corrected) of patients. In addition, there have been numerous postmarketing reports of fluid retention in patients with pulmonary hypertension occurring within weeks after starting bosentan. Patients required intervention with a diuretic, fluid management, or hospitalization for decompensating heart failure. Pulmonary edema could be the possibility of associated pulmonary veno-occlusive disease.

Decreased sperm counts have been observed in patients receiving bosentan. Preclinical data also suggest that bosentan, similar to other endothelin receptor antagonists, may have an adverse effect on spermatogenesis. Treatment with bosentan can cause a dose-related decrease in hemoglobin and hematocrit. There have been postmarketing reports of decreases in hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit that have resulted in anemia requiring transfusion.

In clinical trials, the most common adverse reactions (greater than or equal to 3% and greater than placebo) were respiratory tract infection, headache, edema, chest pain, syncope, flushing, hypotension, sinusitis, arthralgia, abnormal serum aminotransferases, palpitations, and anemia. Respiratory tract infection and anemia occurred at a rate greater than or equal to 3% more than placebo.

For more information, please see accompanying Full Prescribing Information, including the Boxed Warning. A copy may be requested from Teva US Medical Information at 888-TEVA-USA (888-838-2872), druginfo@tevapharm.com, or Teva’s Public Relations or Investor Relations contacts.

About Teva

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE and TASE: TEVA) has been developing and producing medicines to improve people’s lives for more than a century. We are a global leader in generic and specialty medicines with a portfolio consisting of over 35,000 products in nearly every therapeutic area. Around 200 million people around the world take a Teva medicine every day, and are served by one of the largest and most complex supply chains in the pharmaceutical industry. Along with our established presence in generics, we have significant innovative research and operations supporting our growing portfolio of specialty and biopharmaceutical products. Learn more at www.tevapharm.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding the launch and potential benefits of the generic version of Tracleer^® (bosentan) tablets which are based on management’s current beliefs and expectations and are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown, that could cause our future results, performance or achievements to differ significantly from that expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include risks relating to:

• The uncertainty of the commercial success of our generic version of Tracleer^®;
• our ability to successfully compete in the marketplace, including: that we are substantially dependent on our generic products; competition for our specialty products, especially COPAXONE^®, our leading medicine, which faces competition from existing and potential additional generic versions and orally-administered alternatives; the uncertainty of commercial success of AJOVY^® or AUSTEDO^®; competition from companies with greater resources and capabilities; efforts of pharmaceutical companies to limit the use of generics, including through legislation and regulations; consolidation of our customer base and commercial alliances among our customers; the increase in the number of competitors targeting generic opportunities and seeking U.S. market exclusivity for generic versions of significant products; price erosion relating to our products, both from competing products and increased regulation; delays in launches of new products and our ability to achieve expected results from investments in our product pipeline; our ability to take advantage of high-value opportunities; the difficulty and expense of obtaining licenses to proprietary technologies; and the effectiveness of our patents and other measures to protect our intellectual property rights;
• our substantial indebtedness, which may limit our ability to incur additional indebtedness, engage in additional transactions or make new investments, may result in a further downgrade of our credit ratings; and our inability to raise debt or borrow funds in amounts or on terms that are favorable to us;
• our business and operations in general, including: failure to effectively execute our restructuring plan announced in December 2017; uncertainties related to, and failure to achieve, the potential benefits and success of our new senior management team and organizational structure; harm to our pipeline of future products due to the ongoing review of our R&D programs; our ability to develop and commercialize additional pharmaceutical products; potential additional adverse consequences following our resolution with the U.S. government of our FCPA investigation; compliance with sanctions and other trade control laws; manufacturing or quality control problems, which may damage our reputation for quality production and require costly remediation; interruptions in our supply chain; disruptions of our or third party information technology systems or breaches of our data security; the failure to recruit or retain key personnel; variations in intellectual property laws that may adversely affect our ability to manufacture our products; challenges associated with conducting business globally, including adverse effects of political or economic instability, major hostilities or terrorism; significant sales to a limited number of customers in our U.S. market; our ability to successfully bid for suitable acquisition targets or licensing opportunities, or to consummate and integrate acquisitions; and our prospects and opportunities for growth if we sell assets ;
• compliance, regulatory and litigation matters, including: costs and delays resulting from the extensive governmental regulation to which we are subject; the effects of reforms in healthcare regulation and reductions in pharmaceutical pricing, reimbursement and coverage; governmental investigations into selling and marketing practices; potential liability for patent infringement; product liability claims; increased government scrutiny of our patent settlement agreements; failure to comply with complex Medicare and Medicaid reporting and payment obligations; and environmental risks;
• other financial and economic risks, including: our exposure to currency fluctuations and restrictions as well as credit risks; potential impairments of our intangible assets; potential significant increases in tax liabilities; and the effect on our overall effective tax rate of the termination or expiration of governmental programs or tax benefits, or of a change in our business;

and other factors discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, including the sections thereof captioned “Risk Factors.” Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or other information contained herein, whether as a result of new information.

¹ Tracleer^® is a registered trademark of Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd
² https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/pulmonary-arterial-hypertension/

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190619005633/en/