Sun Pharma to acquire rival Ranbaxy for $3.2bn
Mumbai-based Sun Pharmaceutical Industries is buying Indian rival Ranbaxy Laboratories in a merger worth $3.2 billion, the companies have confirmed.
Eli Lilly drafts in Prasco to market Evista generic
Generic drug maker Prasco Laboratories has agreed to market and distribute an authorised generic version of Eli Lilly’s Evista (raloxifene hydrochloride) in the US.
Cooley expands life sciences patent team
Cooley LLP has recruited Ivor Elrifi and Heidi Erlacher to the patent counselling team serving the life sciences and technology sectors.
Schiff Hardin expands IP litigation team
Schiff Hardin LLP has expanded its IP group with the hiring of Imron Aly as a partner.
Actavis wins Lialda generic appeal
The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has reversed a lower court decision that found Actavis’s generic version of Shire’s ulcerative colitis drug Lialda (mesalamine) infringes US patent 6,773,720.
Lilly beats back challenge to Alimta patent
The US District Court for the Southern District of Indiana has upheld a patent covering Eli Lilly’s second biggest drug Alimta (pemetrexed disodium), after a challenge by Teva’s US pharmaceutical arm.
US Supreme Court agrees to hear Copaxone appeal
The US Supreme Court has agreed to hear Teva’s appeal against a Federal Circuit decision that invalidated a patent covering its $4.3 billion-a-year Copaxone (glatiramer acetate) drug, allowing Sandoz, Mylan and Natco to produce generic versions.
Novartis launches Gleevec action against Dr. Reddy’s
Novartis has sued generic drugmaker Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories for infringing a patent related to its chronic myelogenous leukaemia drug Gleevec/Glivec (imatinib mesylate).
Proposed US bill could allow extensions on biologics patent terms
Three US lawmakers have introduced legislation that, if passed, would allow patent owners to obtain protection for existing biologic drugs that have been approved for new indications.
Gilead’s attempt to patent Sovaldi in India opposed
Gilead Sciences has received another challenge to its application to patent its new hepatitis C drug Sovaldi (sofosbuvir) in India.
