The Hindu Business Line : Finland Court prohibits Ranbaxy from marketing generic version of Lipitor

Analysts tracking the Lipitor developments said that following the UK and US setbacks for Ranbaxy, the Finland Court's ruling has been on expected lines. "It will be very difficult for Ranbaxy to launch Lipitor early, especially in a big market," said an analyst.

New Delhi , Feb. 22

THE NEW-YORK based Pfizer Inc has said that the Helsinki Court of Appeal in Finland has granted a preliminary injunction against Ranbaxy Laboratories, prohibiting the latter from marketing a generic version of its cholesterol-lowering drug, Lipitor.

The ruling involves Pfizer's patent (FI94958) that covers processes and intermediate compounds used to make atorvastatin, the active ingredient in Lipitor.

According to a statement on Pfizer's Web site, "The decision reverses an earlier lower court ruling and, subject to a possible appeal to the Finnish Supreme Court, will remain in place during further judicial proceedings including a full patent infringement trial that has not yet been scheduled. The patent expires in February 2009."

Mr Jeffrey Kindler, Vice-Chairman and General Counsel, Pfizer, added, "This decision is another significant milestone in our defence of Lipitor patents around the world. It is also an important outcome for Pfizer and other medical innovators who invest in high-risk research to develop life-saving medicines for millions of patients."

When contacted, a Ranbaxy spokesperson said, "We are yet to go into the details of the judgment and hence we cannot offer any further comments at the moment."

In order to get an exclusivity window for the generic version of Lipitor, the Indian pharma company has been challenging the patents governing Lipitor in several countries in Europe and the US.

For instance, while a UK court had upheld the validity of Pfizer's main patent covering atorvastatin, Ranbaxy managed to invalidate a related patent on the calcium salt of the molecule.

Also, the US District Court of Delaware had ruled in December that the generic company's product infringes the two patents covering Pfizer Inc's cholesterol-lowering drug, Lipitor. While the Indian pharma company has appealed against these rulings, this has delayed an early launch of atorvastatin in that market.

The total revenue from this blockbuster drug stood at $12.5 billion in 2005 and is expected to cross $13 billion this year.

Analysts tracking the Lipitor developments said that following the UK and US setbacks for Ranbaxy, the Finland Court's ruling has been on expected lines.

"It will be very difficult for Ranbaxy to launch Lipitor early, especially in a big market," said an analyst.

The Ranbaxy scrip on Wednesday closed at Rs 462.90, up 3.05 per cent on the Bombay Stock Exchange.

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