Natco Pharma’s Tamiflu generic approved

Natco Pharma, an India-based drugs company,  announced today that it has received final approval from the US Food and Drug Administration to produce a generic version of Tamiflu (oseltamivir phosphate).

Tamiflu, prod uced by Gilead Sciences and licensed to Roche and its subsidiary Genentech, is an antiviral medication that helps treat influenza viruses in the body.

Natco and its marketing partner Alvogen are the first generic companies to receive approval for the drug.

They have been given the right to market the generic before paediatric exclusivity for the patent, US number 5,763,483, expires in February next year.

Both companies settled a patent infringement case relating to Tamiflu with Gilead Sciences, Roche and Genentech in December last year.