Ranbaxy files suit against US firms

Pharmaceutical major Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd on Thursday said its US subsidiary, along with Agvar Chemicals Inc., has filed a joint complaint against Barr Laboratories and Teva Pharmaceuticals USA seeking damages and equitable relief for breach of contract in the US healthcare market.

Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals Inc along with Agvar Chemicals Inc has filed the complaint also for fraud and tortuous interference associated with the supply of active pharmaceutical ingredients regarding the commercialisation of fexofenadine hydrochloride tablets, RLL informed the Bombay Stock Exchange.

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"We operated in good faith over a period of five years lending technical expertise to Barr in the development of the fexofenadine hydrochloride tablets, and investing heavily in facilities to meet the demands of Barr, only to be surprised

by an undisclosed relationship between Barr and Teva," Jay Deshmukh, Ranbaxy's vice president of global intellectual property said.

"We believe this is a breach of our agreement with Barr and accordingly are now seeking all appropriate relief from a state court in New Jersey," he added

Florida based Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the RLL, is engaged in the sale and distribution of generic and branded prescription products in the US healthcare system.