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Pfizer sues Cadila for cloning Viagra

BS Corporate Bureau

US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc has taken Cadila Health- care to court over the brand name Penegra, which it says is a direct take-off on its own drug, Viagra.

The Delhi high court had issued an ex-parte injunction last week against Cadila Healthcare, a Zydus Group company, restraining it from using the brand name Penegra.

When contacted by Business Standard, senior Pfizer officials said, "Any intellectual property right needs to be defended. In India, we are restricted by a process patent. However, this case is being fought on the basis of the trademark for the brand name Penegra which has a similar shape and look to our Viagra."

They added that the company may take similar action against other Indian companies if the brand name and logo seem similar.

Several local brands similar to Viagra are already available in the Indian market, but they haven't been able to boast the international drug's sales figures. These include Sun Pharma's Edegra, Ranbaxy's Caverta, Cipla's Silagra, Torrent Pharma's Androz, Unichem's

Erix and Cadila's Juan. Pfizer Inc's Viagra (Sildenafil Citrate), which has a blue diamond shaped logo, is not manufactured in India.

According to research agency ORG-MARG, in the first three months of the calendar year, Zydus Cadila clocked sales of Rs 22 million from its Penegra brand.

Ranbaxy's Caverta earned Rs 12 million, Sun Pharma's Edegra managed a 8.5 million and Cipla's Silagra clocked 5.3 million for the same period.

Torrent Pharmaceuticals raked in Rs 10 million for its Androz and Unichem, Rs 2.4 million for its Erix. Cadila earned the least with 800,000 for its brand, Juan.

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