Lipitor case: Austria backs Ranbaxy

In a boost to India's biggest drugmaker Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd, an Austrian panel has ruled in the company's favour in a patent litigation against Pfizer involving cholesterol lowering drug 'Lipitor' in that country.

A five-judge panel of the Supreme Patent and Trademark Board of Austria has unanimously affirmed an earlier ruling of the Austrian Patent Office, Ranbaxy said in a statement.

"We are pleased with the decision rendered by the Supreme Patent and Trademark Board of Austria," Malvinder M Singh, CEO, RLL said.

"Our success further validates our strategy to successfully commercialise Atorvastatin in Austria, and potentially other healthcare markets in the future," he added.

Singh said Ranbaxy anticipated the ruling to have a positive impact on healthcare costs, by providing a high quality, generic alternative at affordable prices.

In March last year, the Austrian Patent Office had invalidated claims 1-3 of Pfizer's Austrian Patent 'AT 207896', covering Atorvastatin calcium (Lipitor), for lack of novelty over its international patent application PCT/US89/00719, published as WO 89/07598 and lack of inventive step over United States Patent No. 4,681,893.