New Delhi, July 29: Sun Pharma today claimed victory over Eli Lily and Co in a patent litigation over Gemzar, used in cancer treatment, with a US federal court ruling in its favour.
Eli Lily had contended that an abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) by Sun infringed its patent on the active ingredient used in Gemzar.
"The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed the judgement of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan against Eli Lily and Co. finding certain claims of US Patent No. 5,464,826 (826 patent) invalid," Sun said in a statement.
In the Michigan lawsuit, Eli Lilly had contented that Sun Pharma's ANDA infringed certain claims from the 826 patent and US Patent No. 4,808,614 (614 patent) that described gemcitabine and its uses -- the active ingredient in Gemzar.