Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited V. Warner-Lambert/Pfizer
On December 19, 2006, the Federal Court of Australia ruled that the Indian pharmaceutical manufacturer, Ranbaxy Laboratories, Inc., would be able to continue its efforts to establish itself in the Australian generic drug market. Ranbaxy had challenged Warner-Lambert's (acquired in 2000 by Pfizer) Australian patent 628198, for atorvastatin. Atorvastatin is a cholesterol-lowering medication better known as Lipitor, which is marketed by Pfizer. As a result of the ruling, Ranbaxy will be able to pursue marketing its own atorvastatin in Australia. The ruling was based on the judgment that Warner-Lambert provided the Australian Patent Office with misleading information about the potency of its drug.
However, the ruling was not entirely in favor of Ranbaxy. Although, as quoted by PharmaLive.com, Jay Deshmukh, Ranbaxy's Senior Vice President for Global Intellectual Property, "We are pleased with this decision as it stands, as it advances the entry of Ranbaxy's generic atorvastatin in Australia to May 18, 2012," the Federal Court of Australia also determined that Ranbaxy's patent on atorvastatin infringed another patent (number 601981) Pfizer/Warner-Lambert.
Ranbaxy Laboratories' plan for marketing atorvastatin was upheld by the Federal Court of Australia; the Court also, however, ruled that the company's product infringed upon Pfizer/Warner-Lambert's patent number 601981 on the drug. Ranbaxy reporedly will appeal that decision.
| Court: | | Federal |
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| Last Status: | | 23 Oct 2006
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