Pfizer Wins Challenge to Norvasc Patent by Mylan
28 February 2007 - 7:28AM
PR Newswire (US)
NEW YORK, Feb. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Pfizer Inc said today
that a federal court in the Western District of Pennsylvania
(Pittsburgh) has upheld the company's U.S. patent covering the
active ingredient in Norvasc, the world's most-prescribed branded
medicine for treating hypertension. The patent had been challenged
by the generic manufacturer Mylan. Judge Terrence F. McVerry ruled
that the patent (U.S. Patent No. 4,879,303) covering amlodipine
besylate is valid, enforceable and would be infringed by Mylan's
product. The decision, which is subject to appeal, prohibits Mylan
from launching a generic version of amlodipine until September
2007. "The court decision is another important victory for medical
innovators who invest in high-risk research to develop life saving
medicines, as well as for the patients who benefit from those
medicines," said Allen Waxman, Pfizer's general counsel. Today's
ruling is the latest in a series of favorable decisions for Pfizer
and against generics manufacturers who have sought to invalidate
Norvasc's U.S. patent covering amlodipine besylate. In January
2006, a federal court in the Northern District of Illinois ruled
against Canadian generic manufacturer Apotex; and in August 2006, a
federal court in the Middle District of North Carolina rejected a
challenge by Dutch generic manufacturer Synthon. Both of those
decisions have been appealed. DATASOURCE: Pfizer Inc CONTACT:
Bryant Haskins of Pfizer Inc, +1-212-733-8719 Web site:
http://www.pfizer.com/ Company News On-Call: Pfizer's press
releases are available through PR Newswire's Company News On-Call
service on PRN's Web Site. Visit
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/688250.html Company News On-Call:
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