Pfizer says judge halts sales of generic Accupril
Wed March 30, 2005 6:21 AM GMT+05:30
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Pfizer Inc. said on Tuesday a judge has halted sales of generic versions of its blood pressure medicine Accupril sold by Teva Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd.
U.S. District Court of New Jersey Judge Dickinson Debevoise granted the preliminary injunction after finding that Pfizer was likely to prevail in its patent infringement lawsuit filed against Teva and Ranbaxy on Jan. 28.
The judge ordered Israel-based Teva and India's Ranbaxy to immediately stop marketing the product, known generically as quinapril, that Teva launched in December 2004 under its own label as part of an agreement with Ranbaxy, Pfizer said.
Pfizer said it will seek damages resulting from lost sales caused by competition from the cheaper generic versions of its drug. Accupril had U.S. sales of $387 million in 2004.
Pfizer said the judge also denied Ranbaxy's and Teva's request to stay the injunction, while the world's largest drugmaker seeks a permanent injunction of generic sales of the blood pressure medicine.
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