India's Sun Pharma launches generic Ethyol in U.S.

BANGALORE, March 31 (Reuters) - India's Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (SUN.BO) said on Monday it had commercially launched a generic version of MedImmune's Ethyol amifostine injection in the United States.

MedImmune is a unit of Anglo-Swedish group AstraZeneca Plc (AZN.L). Earlier this month, Sun said it had approval to market the 500 mg injection of the drug, which has annual sales of about $80 million in the United States.

Sun has 180-day marketing exclusivity for the drug, which is used to reduce kidney damage in ovarian cancer patients being given repeated doses of cisplatin, it said in a statement to the stock exchange. (Reporting by Sumeet Chatterjee; Editing by John Mair)