Reuters
reports that generic drug manufacturer Ranbaxy has failed in its attempt to get Pfizer’s US patents in its LIPITOR anti-cholesterol drug invalidated. The decision by a US federal judge means that Ranbaxy cannot launch a generic version of LIPITOR at present. As a result, its share price has dropped by almost 9%, while the share prices of big pharmaceutical companies, including some that were not involved in the litigation, have risen. Ranbaxy have announced that it intends to appeal.
The IPKat notes that this result mirrors Pumfrey J’s decision to uphold the validity of the UK patents for LIPITOR held by Pfizer in October.