Bradley Pharma Settles Patent Dispute With P&G

- Bradley Pharmaceuticals of the USA has agreed to cease marketing its ulcer eradication therapy which infringes patents held by Proctor & Gamble. The latter filed a lawsuit in a US Federal District Court earlier this year to stop Bradley from marketing the product, which contained bismuth subsalicylate, metronidazole and tetracycline. P&G holds a patent to cover therapies using this three-drug combination, as is found in its Helidac therapy for the treatment of duodenal ulcers resulting from Helicobacter pylori infections. The therapy received US marketing clearance in August this year and is expected to be launched by end-November 1996.