Ortho’s Ortho-Cyclen oral contraceptive

Executive Summary

Formulation containing .035 mg ethinyl estradiol/0.25 mg norgestimate is now available at pharmacies at an average retail price of $20 -$21, Ortho Pharmaceutical announces Oct. 14. The monophasic product, originally approved Dec. 29, 1989, is the first OC in the U.S. with the synthetic progesterone norgestimate. Ortho was barred from marketing Ortho-Cyclen in the U.S. until a Sept. 24 court ruling vacated an injunction granted to American Home Products. AHP had originally filed a patent infringement suit against Ortho-Cyclen in early 1990 ("The Pink Sheet" March 5, 1990, T&G-10).