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The Â鶹´«Ã½ Trade Commission today announced the following actions. The FTC staff contact is Dan Ducore, 202-326-2526.

Commission action regarding applications for prior approval: Following a public comment period, the FTC has ruled on an application from the following:

• The FTC has approved the application of Hoechst Marion Roussel, Inc., of Kansas City, Missouri, formerly Marion Merrell Dow, Inc., to divest a license for dicyclomine, a drug used in the treatment of irritable-bowel syndrome, to Endo Laboratories, L.L.C. Endo is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dupont Merck Pharmaceutical Company, based in Wilmington, Delaware. The divestiture was required under a 1994 Commission order following Marion Merrell Dow’s purchase of Rugby Darby. Marion Merrell Dow and Rugby Darby are the only two Food and Drug Administration-approved competitors in the manufacture and sale of dicyclomine in the United States. To restore competition in the market for dicyclomine, the FTC order required Marion Merrell Dow to license dicyclomine formulation and production technology to a Commission-approved third party while the third party awaits FDA approval to manufacture and sell its own dicyclomine. The Commission vote to approve the application was 5-0. (see June 22, 1994 press release regarding the consent agreement; see Oct. 6, 1995 press release regarding the application to divest. FTC File No. 941 0019)

Copies of the press releases and associated documents are available from the FTC’s Public Reference Branch, Room 130, 6th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580. Copies of the documents referenced above are available from the FTC’s Public Reference Branch, Room 130, at the same address; 202-326-2222; TTY for the hearing impaired 1-866-653-4261. To find out the latest news as it is announced, call the FTC NewsPhone recording at 202-326-2710. FTC news releases and other materials also are available on the Internet at the FTC’s World Wide Web site at: http://www.ftc.gov