Researchers found that alcoholics can beat their addiction up to 80 percent of the time when they take the drug naltrexone in any combination of medical support or specialized behavioral intervention therapy, according to trial results published Wednesday.

The drug naltrexone, which blocks some of the brain’s pleasure receptors and reduces alcohol cravings, is marketed by biotech companies Alkermes and Cephalon.

Researchers also found similar rates of success for those who used placebos combined with specialized therapy and medical support.

Surprisingly, no additional benefits were found for those who combined therapy with the approved drug acamprosate. Acamprosate is marketed under the brand name Campral and is made by European-based Lipha Pharmaceuticals.

About 8 million Americans are dependent on alcohol, according to the study which was published in Journal of the American Medical Association.

Big Bucks in Generics

Sales of prescription generic drugs sales are expected to top $48 billion by 2010 as many blockbuster drugs have lost their patents in the last few years and more are set to lose them in the future, an industry report said Wednesday.

According to the study by Kalorama Information, annual prescription generic drugs sales grew by 11.2 percent to $28.2 billion in 2005, and similar growth rates are expected over the next several years.

Part of the growth will come from more generic companies making a play for new drug targets including specialty generics and proprietary molecules.

But in the more immediate future, the research firm said some of the industry’s growth will come from companies looking to capitalize on popular drugs such as Norvasc, Paxil, and Ambien, which are expected to come off patent within the next eight months.

Bone Marrow Treatment

The federal government approved a drug on Wednesday to help patients with conditions in which their bone marrow doesn’t produce enough mature blood cells.

The drug dacogen gained approval for people who suffer from the rare disorders called myelodysplastic syndromes. The drug, which is administered through an injection, works to promote normal development of blood cells.

Netherlands-based by Pharmachemie B.V. Haarlem manufactures the drug.

The company has gained approval through the U.S. Food and Drug Administration orphan drug program, which gives special perks to companies who develop products to treat rare diseases, or conditions that affect fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S. Part of the benefits include a seven-year period of exclusive marketing to the first company to get clearance from the government.