Zeneca Wins Tamoxifen Patent Challenge

5 May 1996

Zeneca's US patent for Nolvadex (tamoxifen citrate), the most-commonly prescribed drug for the treatment of breast cancer, is valid and enforceable, the US Maryland District Court has ruled. As a result, sale of tamoxifen by Canadian generics firm Novopharm would be prohibited because this would be infringement of the patent. Patent proceedings against Novopharm were started by Zeneca in January 1995, after the Canadian firm filed for US approval of its generic product.

Novopharm will have the opportunity to go to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, but Zeneca Pharmaceutical president Robert Black contends: "we remain confident that Zeneca's patent.....will continue to be upheld until it expires in August 2002." Zeneca has also received separate patent challenges from Mylan, Pharmachemie BV and Lemmon Ltd.

This article is accessible to registered users, to continue reading please register for free.  A free trial will give you access to exclusive features, interviews, round-ups and commentary from the sharpest minds in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology space for a week. If you are already a registered user please login. If your trial has come to an end, you can subscribe here.

Login to your account

Become a subscriber

 

£820

Or £77 per month

Subscribe Now
  • Unfettered access to industry-leading news, commentary and analysis in pharma and biotech.
  • Updates from clinical trials, conferences, M&A, licensing, financing, regulation, patents & legal, executive appointments, commercial strategy and financial results.
  • Daily roundup of key events in pharma and biotech.
  • Monthly in-depth briefings on Boardroom appointments and M&A news.
  • Choose from a cost-effective annual package or a flexible monthly subscription
The Pharma Letter is an extremely useful and valuable Life Sciences service that brings together a daily update on performance people and products. It’s part of the key information for keeping me informed

Chairman, Sanofi Aventis UK





Today's issue

Company Spotlight