LipitorCare News » April 07

Ranbaxy's Dream of Launching Lipitor before 2010 Shattered
04 Apr, 2007

The US Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by Ranbaxy to launch Atorvastatin, a generic version of Lipitor, in the US before the expiry of its patent in 2010.

A federal court, last year, had ruled against Ranbaxy in the 893 patent and had given them two months time to appeal against the verdict in the SC. But, on Monday the SC declined to intervene in the matter.

Meanwhile, Pfizer has knocked the US Patent and Trademark office to re-examine the patent for Lipitor to protect the patent till 2011. Pfizer is waiting for the decision on this and if it does get permission on its re-examination of patent then Ranbaxy will not be able to launch Atorvastatin by 2011.

Lipitor, which is cholesterol lowering drug, is world's largest selling drug. It does $13 billion worth business last year and in the US Lipitor's market is around 8.5 million. The launch of Atorvastatin is very important for Ranbaxy and its plan to earn around $2 billion in sales over the period of next five to six years.

This in not the first time that both these pharmaceutical giants are caught in the legal tangle. Earlier in @003, Pfizer had sued Ranbaxy for alleged patent violation over Ranbaxy's plan to come out with generic drug of Lipitor.