Spanish Court of Appeal upholds enantiomer patent on Pfizer's Lipitor

World drug giant Pfizer says that the Court of Appeal of Barcelona, Spain, has upheld its enantiomer patent covering the calcium salt of atorvastatin, the active ingredient in its key earner, the cholesterol-lowerer Lipitor, reversing a previous lower court decision. The enantiomer patent expires in July 2010, Pfizer noted. The decision related to one of four separate challenges to the patent by generic companies in Spain. Lipitor is sold there under the brand names Zarator and Cardyl. In fourth-quarter 2007, the drug earned $3.4 billion in sales worldwide.