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Shire wins approval for ADHD drug in adults

Shire has received approval from the FDA for Vyvanse, for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults.

Vyvanse, introduced in July 2007 for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children aged 6 to 12 years, is now said to be the first and only once-daily prodrug stimulant approved to treat adults with ADHD.

Vyvanse is currently available in three dosage strengths of 30mg, 50mg and 70mg, each for once-daily dosing. Additional dosage strengths of 20mg, 40mg and 60mg Vyvanse have also been FDA-approved and are expected to be available in pharmacies this summer.

Vyvanse is a therapeutically inactive prodrug, in which d-amphetamine is covalently bonded to l-lysine, and after oral ingestion it is converted to pharmacologically active d-amphetamine.

Matthew Emmens, CEO of Shire, said: “This approval provides physicians a new treatment option that can help their adult patients by significantly improving their ADHD symptoms.”