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Dr Reddy's optimistic on generic Prozac sale

Drug-maker Dr Reddy's Laboratories said on Thursday it was closer to a launch of generic Prozac after a US court denied patent-holder Eli Lilly a rehearing in a patents dispute with another generic firm.

A court of appeals in Washington had decided in late May that Lilly's patent on the drug expiring in 2003 was invalid, allowing US generic drug-maker Barr Laboratories to launch the drug in August 2001.

Lilly asked the court to rehear the case, but said on Wednesday that the court had declined its request.

"We have moved a major step closer to launching our generic version of Prozac as our case is tied to Barr's," Dr Reddy's Labs chief executive G V Prasad told Reuters by telephone from his headquarters in the southern city of Hyderabad.

"We are certain we will launch along with Barr," he said.

Dr Reddy's believes the US Food and Drug Administration will grant it a 180-day period of marketing exclusivity for the 40 mg dosage of the drug as it was the first to file for marketing approvals.

Analysts have estimated it could generate sales of over $20 million from the product in those six months.

Dr Reddy's had sales of $29.8 million for its drugs from the American market in the year to March 2001.

Lilly said it plans to appeal to the US Supreme Court, though US analysts say it is unlikely that court would hear its case.

If its case is not heard, generic players Barr and Dr Reddy's will be able to launch the drug as early as August 2.

Lilly generated revenues of $2.5 billion from Prozac in 2000.

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