Allergan unit sues Mylan over constipation drug

Forest Laboratories, a subsidiary of Allergan, has taken on Mylan over a generic version of a constipation drug.

In a lawsuit filed at the US District Court for the District of Delaware on Thursday, March 29, Forest Laboratories claimed that Mylan was infringing seven patents related to Allergan’s Linzess (linaclotide) capsules.

Linzess is used to treat irritable bowel syndrome with constipation and chronic idiopathic constipation.

The patents, US numbers 7,304,036; 7,371,727; 7,704,947; 7,745,409; 8,080,526; 8,110,553; and 8,933,030, all related to methods and compositions for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders.

According to the claim, Mylan filed an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) seeking to commercialise a generic version of Linzess in February this year.

“Plaintiffs will be irreparably harmed by Mylan’s infringing activities unless those activities are enjoined by this court,” said the claim.

Forest Laboratories has asked the court to find that the effective date of any approval of Mylan’s ANDA shall not be earlier than the expiration date of the patents.

It’s also seeking preliminary and permanent injunctive relief and that Forest Laboratories should be awarded monetary relief if Mylan sells the generic product.

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