Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. announced today that the EMEA granted a Marketing Authorization for its human granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) product, a generic form of Amgen’s Neupogen.

Teva's product is the first biosimilar G-CSF to receive a Marketing Authorization in the European Union and will be marketed under the brand name TevaGrastim.

Teva will progressively begin marketing the product throughout Europe in 2009.
G-CSF, mainly indicated for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia, was developed by Teva

in collaboration with a partner. The brand product, Neupogen (filgrastim) had first half worldwide sales of approximately $ 660 millions and approximately $300 million in the EU for the twelve months that ended June 30, 2008, based on IMS sales data.