GlaxoSmithKline sues Ranbaxy over patent |
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Published
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Fri, 02 Feb 2007 19:39
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NEW YORK (AFX) - Drug developer GlaxoSmithKline PLC. said Friday it is suing India-based generic drug maker Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd. over patents covering the herpes treatment Valtrex.The British drug developer filed the patent infringement lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of New Jersey. The company said patents on the drug don't expire until June 2009. Ranbaxy received Food and Drug Administration approval for a generic version of the drug Thursday and said it plans to market the drug in the U.S.Glaxo is initially asking for an injunction to block Ranbaxy from selling the product, pending the outcome of the lawsuit.Ranbaxy is not the first company to receive approval to make a generic version of Valtrex. On Wednesday Mylan Laboratories Inc. received FDA approval for 500-milligarm and 1000-milligram doses, but called the approval tentative pending the expiration of patents in 2009.In a statement, Glaxo said Ranbaxy is the only generic drug developer to make a direct challenge on the Valtrex patent and that it feels confident in the strength of its patent protection. No trial date has been set.Sales of Valtrex totaled $819 million for the nine months ended Sept. 30.Ranbaxy officials could not be immediately reached for comment.Shares of GlaxoSmithKline rose $1.11, or 2 percent, to reach $55.82 on the New York Stock Exchange in afternoon trading. The stock has traded between $50.09 and $58.40 over the last 52 weeks.Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Glaxo seeks to prevent Ranbaxy launching Valtrex generic 