Perrigo says FDA clears generic version of Pepcid

Feb 12 (Reuters) - Drugmaker Perrigo Co (PRGO.O) said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted final approval to market a generic version of Pepcid, the antacid produced by Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) and Merck Consumer Pharmaceutical.

Annual retail sales for Pepcid Complete chewable tablets, known generically as famotidine, are estimated to be about $95 million, Perrigo said in a news release.

The maker of generic drugs said shipping of the over-the-counter product is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2008. (Reporting by Varsha Tickoo in Bangalore; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier)