Philippine Court denies Pfizer petition to block generic Variant

A LOCAL court has denied Pfizer Inc.'s bid to stop the sale of a generic version of anti-hypertensive drug Variant manufactured by Philippine drug-maker United Laboratories Inc. (Unilab). In a statement, Pfizer said it would ask the court to reconsider its ruling on the generic version of Atorvastatin Calcium. Pfizer and co-plaintiff Warner Lambert Co. LLC had filed a patent infringement case against Unilab in October last year. Pfizer said it owns the Philippine patent of Atorvastatin Calcium, adding this patent would expire in 2012. The drug is sold by the company under the brand name Lipitor. Unilab and its sister company Therapharma Inc. also in October last year had released Avamax, a generic version of Atorvastatin. Unilab had also filed an invalidation case against Pfizer's Atorvastatin patent before the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines in July last year, but this case is still pending.

Strides Arcolab to market 40 off-patent sterile injectable & oral products in US

Strides Arcolab has collaborated with Pfizer to commercialize 40 off-patent sterile injectable and oral products in the US through the latter’s established products business unit. The finished dosage form products will be licensed and supplied by Strides and Onco Laboratories Limited and Onco Therapies Limited, two joint ventures between Strides and Aspen, South Africa, in which each has a 50 per cent ownership interest.

Pfizer’s established products business unit launched its US Injectables team less than 10 months ago and is already marketing products in the US. Through this new collaboration with Strides, Pfizer is gearing up to become one of the top players in the injectables market, according to the company note. Both Strides and Pfizer view the collaboration as highly complementary. Many of these drugs are oncology therapeutics for healthcare providers and patients in the US. By integrating Pfizer’s solid commercial infrastructure with Strides’ high-quality manufacturing capabilities, the first of the products commercialized under this collaboration is expected to be launched in the second half of 2010.

Strides has 14 manufacturing facilities across 6 countries, including its joint venture with Aspen in India and has a marketing presence in more than 60 countries in developed and emerging markets. Its production and research wings has a total personnel strength 2000 across all countries of which 350 accounts for its scientific team.

Pfizer sues Apotex for infringement of '995 patent

Innovator Pfizer sued Canadian pharma giant Apotex (as per complaint filed on December, 17, 2008 in federal court in Wilmington, Delaware) for filing ANDA with Para IV certification to United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) to import and sell 10, 20, 40 and 80 mg/tablet dosage strengths of the Atorvastatin Hemicalcium, in violation of a enantiomer patent listed in Orange Book.

For a detailed action filed by Pfizer, click here