Pharmacia Genotropin (somatropin) will be launched in beginning of 1996.

PHARMACIA GENOTROPIN HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE LAUNCH SET FOR EARLY 1996 following the Aug. 24 approval of the somatropin product for the long-term treatment of children who have growth failure due to inadequate endogenous growth hormone levels. While two other somatropin products were approved in 1995, Novo Nordisk's Norditropin and Bio-Technology General's Bio-Tropin, Pharmacia's may be the first to market because the company will not face a patent infringement challenge by Genentech. Pharmacia is also planning a new packaging approach for its growth hormone product.