Ranbaxy Laboratories Wins On Atorvastatin Process Patent In Norway - Will Appeal Court Ruling On Intermediate Compound Patent
PRINCETON, N.J., Nov. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited announces that a Norwegian court today handed down its decision in Ranbaxy's case against Pfizer*, involving patents on atorvastatin in Norway. Atorvastatin is a cholesterol-lowering drug which is marketed by Pfizer as Lipitor.
The Norwegian Court sided with Ranbaxy by finding non-infringement of one key Pfizer Norwegian Process Patent.** At the same time, Ranbaxy's atorvastatin product was found to infringe another Pfizer Norwegian patent covering a particular intermediate compound. Two other Lipitor patents were at issue but were not ruled upon by the Court.
Ranbaxy plans to appeal immediately to the Norwegian Court of Appeals against the latter judgment. In addition it plans to file an invalidity action in the Oslo City Court against the intermediate patent. A claim for invalidity against this intermediate patent had not previously been made by Ranbaxy.
Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited, headquartered in India, is an integrated, research based, international pharmaceutical company producing a wide range of quality, affordable generic medicines, trusted by healthcare professionals and patients across geographies.
Ranbaxy's continued focus on R&D has resulted in several approvals in developed markets and significant progress in New Drug Discovery Research. The Company's foray into Novel Drug Delivery Systems has led to proprietary "platform technologies", resulting in a number of products under development. The Company is serving its customers in over 100 countries and has an expanding international portfolio of affiliates, joint ventures and alliances, ground operations in 46 countries and manufacturing operations in 7 countries.
Note to Editors * The case was also brought against Warner Lambert, the original holder of the patents. Warner Lambert was acquired by Pfizer in 2000. ** Ranbaxy's atorvastatin product was found to infringe Pfizer's Norwegian Patent NO 177,706, but was found not to infringe Pfizer's Norwegian Patents NO 309,322. The Court did not rule on Patents NO 177,566 and NO 180,199.
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