You can...no you can't..yes, you can. Teva Pharmaceuticals once again got the go-ahead to sell its generic version of the Novartis antiviral Famvir [1], this time from a U.S. Appeals Court. The court had granted Novartis a temporary injunction, but refused the permanent version. Novartis shares fell in response to the news.
Novartis sued Teva back in 2005 for infringing the Famvir patent, but that litigation is still pending. Teva started shipping its generic version of the drug in early September, with the 180-day exclusivity that comes from being the first generics maker to get the FDA's stamp on a particular remedy.
- read Teva's press release [2]
- check out the article [3] from Globes
Related Articles:
Novartis wins round on Famvir knockoff. Report [1]
Roche, Teva square off in patent fight. Report [4]
Links:
[1] http://www.fiercepharma.com/story/novartis-wins-round-famvir-knockoff/2007-09-10
[2] http://www.fiercebiotech.com/press-releases/press-release-teva-announces-court-appeals-denies-novartis-emergency-motion-generic-f
[3] http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/DocView.asp?did=1000258642&fid=1725
[4] http://www.fiercepharma.com/story/roche-teva-square-patent-fight/2007-09-11