HAMPSHIRE'S Shire Pharmaceuticals today revealed it had won approval for its flagship Adderall XR drug for adults who suffer from attention deficit disorder in the United States.
The US Food and Drug Administration gave the green light and the Basingstoke based business, which employs about 1,800 people worldwide including about 200 in Hampshire, said it would begin marketing the drug immediately.
The drugs group already has permission to promote Adderall XR for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in children.
Studies have shown that up to 65 per cent of child ADHD sufferers continued to exhibit symptoms into adulthood, with an estimated 4.4 per cent of the US adult population affected by the condition.
Left untreated, the disorder can lead to other psychological difficulties such as depression, as well as occupational and social disability.
Adderall XR is not available in the UK, where the market for ADHD treatments is not as developed as that in the US, a Shire spokesman said.
Last month Shire announced underlying pre-tax profits of £69.9m for the three months to June 30.
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