News April 2007
Ranbaxy's Launch Of Lipitor Drug Only In 2010
With the Supreme Court rejecting an appeal by Ranbaxy to launch
a generic drug of Lipitor
before its patent expires in 2010, Ranbaxy’s last hope for
an early launch of atorvastatin — the generic version of Pfizer’s
blockbuster drug Lipitor – appears to have squashed.
Last year, a federal court ruled a verdict against Ranbaxy, in
the 893 patent, and had given the company two months time to appeal
against the adverse decision in the Supreme Court. On Monday, the
Supreme Court declined to intervene in Ranbaxy’s appeal against
the federal court’s verdict, which had uphold Pfizer’s
exclusive market rights for Lipitor. When contacted, a Ranbaxy spokesperson
declined to comment.
“We are pleased to see that the Supreme Court has declined
to intervene in the Appeals Court’s decision supporting our
very strong basic patent for Lipitor,” a TV channel said quoting
a Pfizer statement.
As things stand now, Ranbaxy can launch its atorvastatin by on
March 2010. However, Pfizer has approached the Patent and Trademark
office to re-examine its patent for Lipitor in an attempt to claim
patent protection till 2011. A decision in this matter is pending.
A favourable verdict for Pfizer may mean that Ranbaxy’s launch
date will be pushed back to 2011.
Anti-cholesterol drug Lipitor is the world’s largest selling
drug with sales worth about $13 billion last year. Lipitor’s
market size is about $8.5 billion (two-third of its global sales).
Ranbaxy’s launch of the atorvastatin is crucial in the company’s
plan to generate nearly $2 billion in sales over the next five-six
years.
In 2003, world’s largest drug-maker Pfizer had sued Ranbaxy
for alleged patent infringement over the latter’s plans to
launch generic drug of Lipitor. In 2005, a court in the held Pfizer’s
two patents valid.
But following an appeal and subsequent favourable verdict in one
of the patents last year, Ranbaxy can now launch atorvastatin by
2010. Ranbaxy has locked horns with the Pfizer in 17 countries over
patent infringement of Lipitor.
Source: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/
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