Once more another patent office, this time the European Patent Office (EPO) has issued an upholding opinion to Pfizer’s calcium salt patent covering Lipitor®, in its entirety.
The upholding opinion was provided by the EPO at the request of a Spanish court that is hearing a patent infringement case filed against Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) by generic manufacturer Ranbaxy.
In Spain, the famous cholesterol drug –Lipitor®- is sold under the brand names Zarator and Cardyl.The EPO rejected arguments by Ranbaxy that a patent covering atorvastatin calcium, the active ingredient in Lipitor, is invalid for "lack of novelty" and "lack of inventive step."
Source: Pfizer, Inc.
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