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Private company

Forest Laboratories

Logo: Forest Laboratories, Inc., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons4

Former pharmaceutical company merged with Allergan

Forest Laboratories was a company in the pharmaceutical industry incorporated in Delaware, with its principal office in New York City. It was known for licensing European pharmaceuticals for sale in the United States. On July 1, 2014, the company was acquired by Actavis (now Allergan).2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1954Founded1
  • Industrypharmaceutical industry1
  • HeadquartersNew York City1
  • Websitewww.frx.com
  • Legal formDelaware corporation1
  • LEI5493007MEBIHDTVX74743
  • StatusInactive3
  • LEI statusRetired3
  • Registered addressC/O Corporation Service Company, 19808 Wilmington, United States3

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Forest Laboratories was a company in the pharmaceutical industry incorporated in Delaware, with its principal office in New York City. It was known for licensing European pharmaceuticals for sale in the United States. On July 1, 2014, the company was acquired by Actavis (now Allergan).2

The story

The company was founded by Hans Lowey in 1956 as a small laboratory service company.

In 1967, the company became a public company via an initial public offering.

Ten years later, Howard Solomon became the chief executive officer of the company.

In 1984, the company acquired O'Neal Jones & Feldman for $8.8 million after a federal investigation resulted in one of its drugs being recalled.

On July 17, 1998, the company received approval from the Food and Drug Administration for Celexa (Citalopram), an antidepressant.

In 2000, the company cut ties with Warner-Lambert for the marketing of Celexa after Warner-Lambert was acquired by Pfizer.

On August 16, 2002, the company received approval from the Food and Drug Administration for Lexapro (Escitalopram), an updated version of Celexa.

In 2013, Solomon retired as chief executive officer of the company.

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In February 2014, the company acquired Aptalis for $2.9 billion.

On July 1, 2014, the company was acquired by Actavis (now Allergan). The sale of the company came after pressure from Carl Icahn, the largest shareholder.

From Wikipedia’s article on Forest Laboratories, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.5

Leadership

Who has led Forest Laboratories, and when. Pick a name to see everywhere that person has worked.

Chief executive

  1. Brent Saunders2010–2014
197019801990200020102020

Products and brands

Some of the products Forest Laboratories marketed with its partners included:

AeroBid (flunisolide inhaler) for allergic rhinitis

Armour Thyroid (desiccated thyroid extract tablets) for hypothyroidism and pituitary Thyroid-stimulating hormone suppression

Bystolic (nebivolol) for hypertension

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Campral (acamprosate) for maintenance of abstinence from alcohol in patients with alcohol dependence

Celexa (citalopram) for depression (developed by Lundbeck)

Cervidil (dinoprostone vaginal insert) for the initiation and/or continuation of cervical ripening in certain patients

Combunox (oxycodone/ibuprofen) for the short-term management of acute moderate-to-severe pain

Daliresp (roflumilast) for reduction of COPD exacerbations in patients with severe COPD

Fetzima (levomilnacipran extended release) for depression

Lexapro (escitalopram) for depression and generalized anxiety disorder (developed in cooperation with Lundbeck)

Levothroid (levothyroxine) for hypothyroidism and pituitary TSH suppression

Linzess (linaclotide) for constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome and functional constipation

Monurol (fosfomycin) for certain urinary tract infections

Namenda and Namenda XR (memantine) for moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's disease

Savella (milnacipran) for fibromyalgia

Sudocrem medicated cream for irritant diaper dermatitis

Teflaro (ceftaroline fosamil) for acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections and community-acquired pneumonia caused by susceptible bacteria

Tiazac (diltiazem hydrochloride) for hypertension and chronic stable angina pectoris

Thyrolar (liotrix) for hypothyroidism and pituitary TSH suppression

Tudorza Pressair (aclidinium bromide inhalation powder) for COPD

Viibryd (vilazodone) for depression

From Wikipedia’s article on Forest Laboratories, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.5

Timeline

  1. 2014Dissolved Dissolved1
  2. 2010New chief executive Brent Saunders becomes CEO1
  3. 1954Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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