Pfizer upbeat on Lipitor despite Norway ruling

NEW YORK, Aug 30 (Reuters) Pfizer Inc. on Wednesday said an adverse patent ruling in Norway on its Lipitor cholesterol fighter will have ''no practical effect'' on the company's ability to prevent launch there of a generic form of the drug.

Pfizer said in a statement it plans to appeal a decision by a court in Norway, announced on Tuesday, which found that the generic made by Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd. of India was not infringing two of Pfizer's Norwegian patents.

New York-based Pfizer on Wednesday said it plans to appeal the decision. In any case, it said ''Lipitor continues to be protected from generic competition in Norway through February 2009'' and from generics in other major European markets until 2011.

REUTERS SBA RS1921