Indivior to launch cheaper opioid addiction drug; maintains forecast

(Reuters) - British drugmaker Indivior Plc said on Tuesday it would launch a cheaper version of its blockbuster opioid addiction treatment drug, while maintaining its full-year profit and revenue forecast, sending its shares up more than 20 percent.

The company is trying to hold off rivals Dr. Reddy's Laboratories and Teva Pharmaceuticals from bringing their copycat versions of Suboxone, which accounts for about 80 percent of Indivior's revenue.

Indivior also said revenue from its new opioid addiction treatment, Sublocade, would exceed the top end of its previous 2018 forecast range of $8 million to $10 million by about $2 million.

The company had cut its revenue estimate for Sublocade in September as it faced distribution challenges.

Indivior, which was spun off from consumer products group Reckitt Benckiser in 2014, said it expects to meet its full-year forecasts for net revenue of $990 million to $1.02 billion and net income of $230 million to $255 million.

The company also said it would take steps to cut administrative and research costs to boost profit.

Indivior said it would move ahead with the launch of Perseris, its injectable drug for treating schizophrenia in adults, in the United States.

Shares of the company rose more than 20 percent immediately after the announcement, and were up 10 percent at 104.4 pence at 1228 GMT.

(Reporting by Arathy S Nair and Pushkala Aripaka in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva)