The Patent Controller Office of India has rejected the patent application of Novartis AG for its cancer drug Gleevec.

Assistant Controller of Patents & Designs V Rengasamy rejected the application on January 25 on the ground that the drug, Imatinib Mesylate, did not qualify for patenting in India as the novelty of the drug was objected to by a host of Indian companies, including Cipla. 

The patent office heard the pre-grant opposition on October 14, 2005, filed by Cipla. This is the first major decision on patent application after India complied with the TRIPS regime in 2005. 

Norvatis officials were not available for comment. Novartis was likely to challenge the patent controller's decision in the Madras high court, industry sources said. 

With this, the generic manufacturers in India, including the Hyderabad-based Natco Pharma, Cipla, Ranbaxy, Torrent Pharma, Sun Pharma and many more can re-enter the Rs 400 crore market with their generic versions of this product.