[india-drug] E-drug: Pfizer sues to block generic Diflucan

[E-drug <e-drug@usa.healthnet.org>]

E-drug: Pfizer sues to block generic Diflucan
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[Copied from Edrug. Thanks???SS]

http://www.gomemphis.com/mca/business/article/0,1426,MCA_440_1191064,00.html
[long URL, may need repairing]


TRENTON, N.J. - Pfizer Inc. sued Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd. to block the
Indian drug-maker from selling a generic version of the $1
billion-a-year antifungal treatment Diflucan.

Ranbaxy, in an application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to
sell a low-cost version of the drug, said a patent for Diflucan listed
on the FDA registry of approved drugs is invalid. Ranbaxy also denied
infringing the patent.

Pfizer's patent covers the chemical compound for fluconazole, the
active
ingredient in the antifungal treatment for animals and humans. The
company said in its suit that the patent is valid and Ranbaxy will
infringe it if the FDA approves the generic product. Pfizer said
Ranbaxy has been notified that a federal judge upheld the patent's
validity.

Ranbaxy said it expected the lawsuit because of federal regulations on
generic drug applications.

"We think the patent is invalid," said Jay Deshmukh, vice president in
charge of global intellectual property for Ranbaxy. "They don't agree,
so we're going to go at it in court."

Novopharm Ltd., a generic-drug-maker based in Ontario, previously
sought
approval to sell fluconazole. A federal judge in Illinois in February
said the patent was valid, and a suit filed by Pfizer was dismissed
following an agreement that Novopharm had infringed the patent with its
FDA application, according to the suit.

Pfizer's suit said it "suggested that Ranbaxy reconsider its assertion"
that the patent was invalid, though "Ranbaxy maintained its position."


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