Lilly Says Court Ruled in its Favor on Patent

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Eli Lilly & Co. said a federal court ruled that generic products proposed by a Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. TEVA -0.43 % unit would infringe a U.S. patent for the drug maker’s blockbuster cancer drug Alimta.

A Teva spokesman said “we are disappointed with the district court’s decision and we are evaluating our options to appeal.”

The patent, which covers the administration of Alimta to patients with a vitamin regimen, provides intellectual property protection until May 2022, potentially preserving U.S. market exclusivity for Alimta until then, rather than allowing generic competition in 2017 when a separate patent expires.

The court previously upheld the validity of the vitamin regimen patent, which Teva had challenged, in a March 2014 ruling.

 

By Tess Stynes

The Wall Street Journal

Aug. 25, 2015 6:18 p.m. ET

Write to Tess Stynes at [email protected]

Source: Wall Street Journal Health

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