Pharmaceutical and biotechnology major Wockhardt today, November 13, announced the launch of Midazolam injection in the United States. Wockhardt received this approval from the United States  Food and Drug  Administration  (US  FDA)  for marketing the preservative free version injections  containing  1  mg/ml  and  5mg/ml.

Midazolam is used for treating acute insomnia and anxiety.

Developed in-house, the injections are manufactured at the US FDA certified formulation plant at Waluj, Maharashtra.

Wockhardt had earlier received the US FDA approval for the injection containing preservatives.  Midazolam is the generic name for the brand Versed.

According to IMS, the total market for Midazolam injections in the US is USD 56 million.

Chairman Habil Khorakiwala said, ``Sterile products continue to be a priority area for Wockhardt in the US. ``

``This is our fourth injection Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) approval in the past two months and the twelfth sterile product overall,`` he added.

In the prescription generic pharmaceutical market, Wockhardt has been consistently growing market shares for all its products. Wockhardt today markets over fifty-five products in the US.

Shares of the company declined Rs 3.6, or 3.33%, to settle at Rs 104. The total volume of shares traded was 67,777 at the BSE (Wednesday).