The US District Court of New Jersey has granted AstraZenica’s motion for summary judgment of no inequitable conduct concerning generic versions of Seroquel, a drug used in the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
AstraZeneca had sued Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and Sandoz (Novartis’ generic wing), alleging infringement of AstraZeneca’s patent as a result of Teva’s and Sandoz’s filings of abbreviated new drug spplications (ANDAs), seeking approval to market generic versions of Seroquel tablets in the US before Seroquel’s patent expires in 2011.
AstraZeneca’s motion for summary judgment of no inequitable conduct followed Teva and Sandoz conceding infringement and the validity of AstraZeneca’s patent. The court decision to award summary judgment makes it unlikely that generic versions of the $4 billion-a-year drug will be launched before 2011 or 2012. That said, Teva have announced plans to appeal against the decision, which was announced late on Tuesday.
