Partial win for Ranbaxy over Pfizer

Ranbaxy Laboratories said on Thursday it has scored a partial victory in the case involving Pfizer's cholesterol drug Atorvastatin, with an Australian court ruling in favour of the company in one case.

On Thursday, the Federal Court of Australia handed down a favourable decision in the Ranbaxy's case against Pfizer regarding its Australian Atorvastatin patent 628198, but said that the company's atorvastatin product infringes another of Pfizer's patent.

"We are pleased with this decision as it stands, as it advances the entry of Ranbaxy's generic atorvastatin in Australia to May 18, 2012, " company's Senior Vice President -- Global Intellectual Property -- Jay Deshmukh said.

The ruling said one of Pfizer's patents is invalid for false suggestion and misrepresentation in obtaining the grant of Australian patent 628198,

but added that Ranbaxy's atorvastatin product infringes another of Pfizer patent, Ranbaxy informed the Bombay Stock Exchange.

The court's ruling followed a trial in Melbourne which took place in October, the invalidity of Pfizer's patent 628198 was principally based on the representation to the Australian Patent Office that the potency of the R-enantiomer (atorvastatin) in relation to its ability to inhibit production of cholesterol was 10-fold more than that of the corresponding racemic material.

This representation was held to be 'false and misleading', it added.