Sano Wins FDA OK to Sell Generic Patch

Sano Corp. said it won U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval to sell the first generic nicotine patch. The stop-smoking aid is a generic version of Novartis’ prescription patch, Habitrol. A Novartis spokeswoman said the company may seek over-the-counter approval of the patch “down the road,” though right now it is focusing on the prescription market. The stop-smoking market is poised to grow to as much as $1 billion in annual sales, analysts said. Shares of Miramar, Fla.-based Sano rose 63 cents to close at $22.38 on Nasdaq.