Britain's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has suspended Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd's (Nasdaq: TEVA; TASE: TEVA) the license for Levothyroxine, a thyroid hormone treatment for hypothyroidism (when the thyroid does not produce enough hormones). The MHRA cited manufacturing difficulties and concerns that the product might not be interchangeable with other available levothyroxine tablets of the same dosage, which is liable to cause a loss of control of hypothyroidism when switching between products.
The decision affects only levothyroxine 100 microgram tablets made by Teva and British pharmacy chain Numark Ltd. The MHRA advises patients taking the tablets made by the two companies to switch to a different product at their next prescription.
It also advises patients who are pregnant, suffer from heart disease, or are under treatment with TSH suppressive doses of levothyroxine following treatment for thyroid cancer to see their doctor.
In response Teva said, "Teva is committed to further investigation of these issues, and we are doing everything we can to access new supplies. We are hoping to resume supply in the second quarter of 2012."
Teva's share price rose 0.1% in morning trading on the TASE today to NIS 166.40, after closing at $44.65 on Nasdaq on Friday, giving a market cap of $39.4 billion.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on February 21, 2012
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