Teva gets tentative approval for generic Flomax

Jan 31 (Reuters) - Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (TEVA.O) said the U.S. health regulators granted a tentative approval to its generic equivalent of Boehringer Ingelheim's Flomax capsules for the treatment of signs and symptoms of an enlarged prostate.

The generic drugmaker said the final approval for the 0.4 mg capsules is expected upon the expiry of patent protection for Flomax in October 2009. Flomax had annual sales of about $1.3 billion in the United States for the twelve months ended September 30, 2007, based on IMS sales data, the company said. (Reporting by Esha Dey in Bangalore; Editing by Amitha Rajan)