Ranbaxy invalidates Pfizer 281 patent in the Netherlands

Gurgaon, Sep 13 (UNI) Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited (Ranbaxy) today announced that the District Court of the Hague has handed down a decision in Ranbaxy's case against (Pfizer) Warner-Lambert over the cholesterol-lowering drug, atorvastatin, which is marketed by Pfizer as Lipitor(r).

Lipitor(r) is a registered trademark of Pfizer.

The three-judge panel held that (Pfizer) Warner-Lambert's European Patent 409 281 was invalid in the Netherlands. However, Ranbaxy's atorvastatin product was ruled to infringe the broadest claims of (Pfizer) Warner-Lambert's European Patent 247 633 in the Netherlands.

Ranbaxy is evaluating this decision and will decide on its course of action shortly.

Mumbai-based Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited is an integrated, research based, international pharmaceutical company producing a wide range of quality, affordable generic medicines, trusted by healthcare professionals and patients across geographies.

Ranbaxy's continued focus on R and D has resulted in several approvals in developed markets and significant progress in New Drug Discovery Research.

The company's foray into Novel Drug Delivery Systems has led to proprietary 'platform technologies,'' resulting in a number of products under development.

The company is serving customers in over 125 countries and has an expanding international portfolio of affiliates, joint ventures and alliances, ground operations in 49 countries and manufacturing operations in 8 countries.

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