Abbott Laboratories sues Mylan for AIDS drug 'Kaletra' patent dispute

Abbott Laboratories accused rival Mylan Inc. of infringing two U.S. patents for the AIDS drug Kaletra. Kaletra is a combination of two anti-HIV drugs Lopinavir and Ritonavir used for the treatment of HIV infectionm. Abbott contends that Mylan plans to sell low-cost generic copies of Kaletra tablets before the patents expire in 2021, according to complaints filed in federal courts in Delaware and Chicago.

"Abbott will be irreparably harmed" if generic versions of the drug aren't blocked by a judge, Abbott claimed in the Chicago suit.

The lawsuits were filed after Mylan announced that its India-based Matrix Laboratories Ltd. had received tentative U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for the tablets under the president's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.

 

Natco Pharma Successfully opposes Indian patent application for Glatiramer Acetate

NATCO Pharma Ltd has successfully opposed a patent application in India that covers the composition of Glatiramer Acetate, the generic version of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries' Copaxone. The patent application was submitted to the Indian Patent Office (New Delhi) by Yeda Research & Development Company, which licensed the Glatiramer Acetate product to Teva.

Glatiramer Acetate, marketed in pre-filled syringes, is used to treat multiple sclerosis (MS). NATCO has successfully commercialized its Glatiramer Acetate product in India and the Ukraine. NATCO challenged the Yeda patent application in the Indian Patent Office on several grounds including that it was obvious over the prior art. The Patent Office agreed with NATCO's arguments and refused to grant the application because of  "obviousness and lack of inventiveness” over the prior art.