Wampole Canada is preparing to cause some upset in the antacid category with the launch of Acidhalt ­ its first attempt to take a drug previously available only by prescription to the other side of the counter.

The company will begin shipping Acidhalt, its entry in the H2 blocker or acid blocker category, to stores late this month.

Acidhalt contains the same acid-blocking drug marketed since last June as Pepcid AC by Johnson & Johnson-Merck Consumer Pharmaceuticals of Canada.

Over-the-counter H2 blockers are half the strength of prescription anti-ulcer drugs and are competing in the antacid category ­ the third largest otc category in Canada, estimated at more than $100 million.

Acidhalt may not be Wampole’s only entry into the H2 blocker category.

Its parent company, Novopharm, has the generic rights to the prescription forms of the three leading brands: Pepcid, Tagamet, and Zantac.

Part of the strategy behind Novopharm’s purchase of Wampole was to position the brand for taking prescription products over the counter as they receive approval from Health Canada’s Health Protection Branch.

Aubrey Dan, president of Wampole, says it’s possible the company will eventually come out with its brand of the Zantac formulation as well.

Acidhalt will be launched with an advertising campaign from Wampole’s agency Holmes Donin Alloul of Toronto. The campaign is scheduled to run October to May, traditionally the highest consumption period for acid blockers and antacids.

He says the advertising, in both English and French, will focus on the heaviest users of acid blockers, those aged 50-plus.

A print-heavy campaign will be supported by direct mail, fsis and in-store elements.

Dan says the positioning message for Acidhalt will be ‘Enjoy the food you love’ because the formulation both prevents and relieves heartburn and acid indigestion for up to nine hours.

In addition to Pepcid AC, Tagamet HB from SmithKline Beecham Consumer Healthcare is also on store shelves in Canada.

Acidhalt, Pepcid AC and Tagamet HB have been approved for both prevention and relief of heartburn which means they can be taken before meals to prevent heartburn or afterwards to relieve symptoms.

Zantac 75, the otc version of the largest-selling drug in any category in the world, has not yet launched in Canada. It is designated as a relief product only.

A spokesman for Warner Wellcome Consumer Health Products says the company plans to launch Zantac 75, but wouldn’t be specific about timing.

J. Walter Thompson will be handling the launch campaign.