Court dismisses lawsuit against Pfizer, Ranbaxy over generic Lipitor; says, details offered by plaintiffs not enough

Pfizer Inc and India's Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd on Friday won dismissal of a United States antitrust lawsuit accusing them of conspiring to delay sales of generic versions of the best-selling cholesterol drug Lipitor. U.S. District Judge Peter Sheridan in Trenton, New Jersey, ruled that the plaintiffs, retailers and distribution companies that bought Lipitor directly from Pfizer, failed to plead their case with enough detail, Reuters reported.

Pfizer had filed a lawsuit in 2012 regarding a 2008 settlement of another lawsuit. The 2008 lawsuit was filed by Pfizer against Ranbaxy  over the latter's plan to make generic Lipitor. 

 Under the deal, Pfizer agreed to drop a claim for damages against Ranbaxy, and Ranbaxy agreed to stay out of the Lipitor market until November 2011. Reuters reports, that the plaintiffs complained that this meant that Pfizer had paid Ranbaxy to stay out of the Lipitor market  violating antitrust laws. However, the ruling says that the case fails as the settlement's dollar value has not been given in the suit.

Sheridan dismissed another version of the lawsuit last September. A Pfizer spokesman said the company was pleased with the ruling, Reuters reported.

"Pfizer has always believed that the procurement and enforcement of its Lipitor patents and the settlement of litigation relating thereto was at all times proper and lawful. The company will continue to vigorously protect and defend its intellectual property, which is vital to developing new medicines like Lipitor that save and enhance patient lives, " the spokesman said in an email.