Pharmaceutical company Ranbaxy Laboratories said on Monday its UK subsidiary has won a patent case over solvent-free Clarithromycin and that it has launched the drug.

"Ranbaxy (UK) had successfully overcome a court action brought in the UK by Abbott Laboratories to prevent the former from selling immediate release Clarithromcin tablets 250 mg and 500 mg and suspension 125mg/5ml and 250mg/5ml in the UK market," a company statement said in New Delhi.

Giving its ruling in favour of Ranbaxy's argument that the asserted patent was invalid on various grounds, the court agreed and termed the latter's claim as a "a weak patent" and declined leave to appeal, it said.

The company said macrolide antibiotic Clarithromycin was covered by a first generation patent, which expired in the UK on November 19, 2004. Abbott also had a second-generation patent, which claimed amongst other things solvent free Clarithromycin.

 "There is no support for a claim to Clarithromycin form II and there is no support for solvent free feature at all," the court said according to the statement.

Ranbaxy has already received approval from medicines and healthcare product regulatory agency to manufacture Clarithromycin and following the victory in the court case, the company has launched its products.