HEALTH

Ruling Ends Pharmacia & Upjohn’s Monopoly of Minoxidil: The active ingredient in the company’s Rogaine anti-balding medication will be available for nonprescription sales after a judge’s decision to uphold a ruling by federal regulators. The Kalamazoo, Mich.-based company’s three-year patent expired in February. It asked the Food and Drug Administration for a period of exclusive sales, saying it had performed extra safety tests. The FDA rejected the request in April. A company spokesman said it will explore legal options. One generic maker, Barre-National Inc. of Baltimore, has 200,000 bottles of minoxidil ready to go for a retail price of about $18 each. Pharmacia & Upjohn stock rose 12.5 cents to $38.25 on the New York Stock Exchange.