INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., April 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Eli Lilly and Company today announced that the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana has upheld the validity of the company's compound patent on Gemzar(R) (gemcitabine HCl for injection). This decision maintains Lilly's U.S. exclusivity for Gemzar through November 15, 2010.
"We are pleased with the court's ruling upholding the validity of Gemzar's compound patent and remain optimistic that a successful appeal of the Michigan decision on the Gemzar method-of-use patent will retain U.S. exclusivity for Gemzar into 2013," said Robert A. Armitage, senior vice president and general counsel for Lilly. "Protection of intellectual property rights is extremely important to the biopharmaceutical industry and the physicians and patients we serve, as these rights help support the development of the next generation of innovative medicines to treat unmet medical needs."
This release contains forward-looking statements regarding the U.S. Gemzar patent litigation. These statements are based on management's current expectations but actual results may differ materially. There can be no assurance that the company will prevail in any appeal. Other risk factors that may affect the company results can be found in company's latest Form 10-K dated February 2010.
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CONTACT: Mark Taylor, +1-317-276-5795
Web site: http://www.lilly.com/
