Pfizer recalls more U.S. lots of smelly Lipitor

Pfizer Inc is recalling two more lots of Lipitor, the world’s largest selling prescription drug, after chemicals used in wooden pallets were found in some bottles that had an “uncharacteristic odor.”

The drugmaker said on Friday that customer reports about the odor prompted the recall of about 38,000 bottles. Pfizer recalled other lots of its flagship drug in August and October.

Including the recalls announced today, Pfizer has recalled 368,000 bottles of the statin drug because of the contamination.

Lipitor is expected to garner more than $12.1 billion in 2010 global sales, according to Thomson Reuters data. It faces generic competition in 2011.

Pfizer said that in its investigation, it found a very low level of the chemical 2, 4, 6-tribromonophenol in a sample bottle. The chemical is used on some wood pallets. Such pallets are used for holding cartons ready for shipment. Pfizer said the bottles used to hold Lipitor had been supplied by a third party bottle maker.

Pfizer said the recalled lots had been packaged and shipped before changes to curb the smell were implemented in August. Pfizer has banned the use of treated pallets.

Over the past two years, Johnson & Johnson has recalled millions of bottles of over-the-counter drugs tainted with odors from chemically-treated pallets.

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WASHINGTON (Reuters)