Ranbaxy, Pfizer settle patent litigation

NEW DELHI: Days after Japanese pharma major Daiichi Sankyo announced plans to acquire majority stake in Ranbaxy Laboratories, the Gurgaon based firm on Wednesday said it has settled most of its patent litigation over cholesterol lowering drug Lipitor with US-based Pfizer.

The company said it has entered into an agreement with Pfizer to "settle most of the patent litigation worldwide involving atorvastatin (Lipitor), the world's most prescribed cholesterol lowering medicine."

This decision will allow for an earlier introduction of a generic formulation that will benefit patients and many healthcare systems throughout the world, it added.

Lipitor is the world's largest selling drug with sales of 12.7 billion dollars last year.

The agreement pertains solely to Ranbaxy and its affiliates and does not cover legal challenges to the Lipitor patent involving other generic manufacturers.