Actavis Announces its Generic Lamictal Release
The well-known generic drug company Actavis Inc. has officially announced that it has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to release its generic version of Lamictal into the market. Lamictal is a powerful anticonvulsant drug, originally designed and manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline. Actavis intends to launch the generic Lamictal product immediately.
Lamictal (Lamotrigine) is a well-known epilepsy drug used to treat epilepsy, bipolar disorder, clinical depression, and other types of seizures. In accordance with its intended purpose, Lamictal serves as an effective mood stabilizer and is only the second drug in the United States to be approved to treat such a high level of emotional distress. The first of these drugs came 30 years prior, in the drug called lithium.
From May 2012 to May 31, 2013, Lamictal generated over $51 million from Lamictal sales in the United States. Actavis is hoping for similar success and looks forward to customers trying their generic version of Lamictal. Actavis is not the first generic drug company to reproduce a popular drug, but not many generic companies have tried to reproduce Lamictal.
While Lamictal is renowned for its effectiveness, recent studies and injury reports have indicated the drug may possibly cause a devastating skin condition called Steven Johnson Syndrome.
Lamictal & SJS Syndrome
Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) is an inflammatory skin disorder which can be caused by an allergic reaction to a medication. The condition is often characterized by a severe skin rash that is purple or blotchy red in color. This can lead to the skin literally melting off, and could cause potential blindness if left untreated.
If left untreated, SJS syndrome eventually evolves into Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN), which occurs when the symptoms become more severe, and the skin lesions cover about 90% of the body. Steven Johnson Syndrome lesions take up between 10%-30% of the body on average. If a patient is going to experience Steven Johnson Syndrome, the first symptoms normally occur within the first two weeks after starting the medication.
If a patient is diagnosed with Lamictal SJS, they will be treated as an emergency case and be taken to the nearest hospital for treatment. Because of the nature of lesions and the behavior of the skin sloughing off the body, SJS patients are treated similarly to burn patients, and are essentially leaving it up to the doctors and their methods of treatment to save them. SJS can be fatal if left untreated.
While it is unknown just what exactly triggers such an extreme allergic reaction in some patients, there have been various studies linking different drugs to causing this condition; Lamictal, antibiotics, and other anticonvulsants are among those drugs.
While the condition is fairly rare, drug companies like Actavis and GlaxoSmithKline are under obligation to report any incident of this drug side effect during pre-market studies, as well as clearly indicate this possibility on the warning label of the drug. While Actavis does not have any current generic Lamictal lawsuits pending against them as of yet, GlaxoSmithKline is facing many lawsuits from patients who took Lamictal and suffered Stevens Johnson Syndrome.
There are about 300 new diagnoses of SJS syndrome per year in the United States.
Get a Free SJS Attorney Consultation Today
If you believe that you or a loved one has been the victim of a Lamictal Steven Johnson Syndrome reaction, you have legal options. Please visit the Steven Johnson Syndrome (SJS) & Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) Class Action Lawsuit Investigation . There, you can submit your claim for a free legal review and if it qualifies for legal action, a seasoned Lamictal SJS lawyer will contact you for a free, no-obligation consultation. You will be guided through the litigation process at no out-of-pocket expenses or hidden fees. The SJS lawyers working this investigation do not get paid until you do.
Updated July 31st, 2013
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