Caraco wins generic Ultracet appeal

Detroit, USA-based Caraco Pharmaceutical Laboratories says that the US Federal Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington upheld the US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan ruling that Caraco does not infringe Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical's US patent no 5,336,691. Caraco's tramadol with acetaminophen is the generic equivalent of Ortho McNeil's analgesic, Ultracet. The generics firm commenced shipment of its product on December 19, 2005, following the Food and Drug Administration's approval to manufacture market and distribute the generic.

Daniel Movens, Caraco's chief executive, commented: "we were confident of our position and are gratified that the Federal US Court of Appeals supported the ruling of the Eastern District Court of Michigan that we do not infringe. We have continued to market Tramadol with Acetaminophen since the FDA approved our product as a generic version of Ultracet."