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Pfizer Pulls 3 Lots Of Antidepressant Off The Market

Pfizer is recalling some lots of its antidepressant Effexor XR because a single capsule of a different medication was found in one bottle of the drug.

NEW YORK (AP) -- Pfizer said Thursday it is recalling some lots of its antidepressant Effexor XR because a single capsule of a different medication was found in one bottle of the drug.

Pfizer is recalling two production lots of Effexor XR capsules and one lot of generic Effexor, or venlafaxine, sold by its Greenstone LLC subsidiary. The company said a pharmacist reported that one bottle of Effexor XR contained a capsule of Tikosyn, a treatment for irregular heartbeat. Pfizer described the recall as a precaution, saying it hasn't received any other reports and that it believes there is a very low probability that there are Tikosyn capsules in other bottles of Effexor XR.

The recall pertains to bottles of 150-milligram strength. The bottles carrying the Pfizer label carry the lot numbers V130142 and V130140 and will expire in October 2015. The Greenstone bottles have lot number V130014 and an expiration date of August 2015. Pfizer said the three lots were all packaged on the same line.

The New York drugmaker said customers, including pharmacies, hospitals, government agencies, and distributors, are being informed about the recall. It said patients who have a recalled bottle should contact their physicians.

Shares of Pfizer Inc. lost 29 cents to $32.46 on Thursday.

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