Teva gets tentative approval for generic Gemzar

However, Teva is currently in patent litigation with Eli Lilly over the drug in the US District Court for the Southern District of Indiana. A suit was brought against Teva in February 2006 in an attempt to block the Israeli pharmaceutical company from making a 200mg dose generic version of Gemzar.

Final approval will be withheld until either the courts decide in favor of Teva, or the expiry of the mandatory stay of approval in July 2008, whichever comes first.

Gemzar had sales totaling $376.9 million for the first quarter of 2007, an increase of 11% from last year, according to Eli Lilly.