Aurobindo Pharma, one of the largest API manufacturers in Asia, has informed that it has received tentative approval from the U. S. Food and Drug Administration to sell anti-depressant escitalopram oxalate in tablet form.

The approval has been granted for 5, 10 and 20-milligram strengths of the drug, which is the generic version of Forest Laboratories Inc's Lexapro.

According to a report, Lexapro generated about $2.6 billion in sales for the 12 months ending September 2008.

The scrip of the company gained 3 per cent to Rs 160 at the close of Wednesday's trading with over 200,000 shares changing hands on the BSE.