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* Epanova approved to reduce triglyceride levels
* AstraZeneca acquired drug after buying Omthera in 2013
* Sales seen at $322 mln by 2018 - consensus forecast (Adds details on drug, sales forecast, background)
By Ben Hirschler
LONDON, May 6 (Reuters) - AstraZeneca Plc has wonU.S. approval for Epanova, a new pill for heart disease,providing a welcome - but relatively minor - piece of good newsas it fights a $106 billion takeover approach from Pfizer Inc.
Epanova will be entering a crowded market for fish oil-basedcardiovascular drugs, limiting its commercial potential.However, the fact that AstraZeneca secured approval on scheduleis a sign that the company is delivering on its pipeline hopes.
"This approval is a significant milestone for AstraZeneca,as it strengthens our existing portfolio of cardiovascularmedicines," Briggs Morrison, global head of medicinesdevelopment, said in a statement.
Industry analysts, on average, expect Epanova sales to reacha relatively modest $322 million a year by 2018, according toThomson Reuters Pharma.
The new pill is designed for treating people with very highlevels of fatty triglycerides in their blood and was originallydeveloped by Omthera Pharmaceuticals, which AstraZeneca acquiredlast year for up to $443 million.
The acquisition was one of a series by Chief ExecutivePascal Soriot to revive AstraZeneca's fortunes through bolt-ondeals.
Epanova is an ultra-pure mixture of the free fatty acidforms of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid(DHA), derived from fish oil.
The new drug will compete with other fish oil-basedmedicines such as GlaxoSmithKline Plc's Lovaza, whichnow faces cut-price generic competition, and Amarin Corp Plc's Vascepa.
AstraZeneca also hopes to develop a fixed-dose combinationof its cholesterol-lowering drug Crestor and Epanova. The newcombination, if successful, would help extend the Crestorfranchise beyond 2016, when the drug's U.S. patent ends. (Editing by Louise Heavens)
