LO Minastrin FE, a chewable oral contraceptive made by Warner Chilcott PLC, has received the stamp of approval from the US Food and Drug Administration. This is the pharmaceutical firm's fifth product that has received the green light from the US FDA this year. Plans for the launch of the chewable tablets are still underway.

Earlier in April, the FDA had also approved Minastrin 24 FE, a contraceptive pill also from Warner Chilcott. Plans to bring the product to market this year have been on hold, however, as the company said it didn't see itself in any position to do a commercial launch.

For more than a year now Warner Chilcott has been experiencing declining revenues. Its osteoporosis treatment Actonel is not anymore exclusive in Europe, even as it is now beset with competition from generic brands in the US. The company's second-quarter profits, however, had doubled compared to results from the previous year when it suffered a steep impairment charge and where revenues dropped 3.9%.