Daiichi Filed Infringement Suit Against Indian Drug Company

Daiichi Sankyo which recently shocked Indian generic industry by announcing to buy out controlling stake in India’s largest drug company Ranbaxy has lately filed an infringement suit in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey against Matrix Laboratories for alleged infringement of the US Patent No. 5,616,599 (the ‘599 patent) claiming active ingredient olmesartan medoxomil. The infringement suit is in response to Matrix’s submission of an abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) to the United States FDA, seeking approval to market generic version of anti-hypertension Azor tablets containing the active ingredients amlodipine besylate and olmesartan medoxomil before the expiration of the ‘599 patent. The suit was filed on June 03, 2008. Matrix is believed to be First-to-File Para IV applicant, which if succeed would give Matrix 180-day market exclusivity.