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news.A US district court ruled in favor of Shire Plc, preventing Allergan from selling generic versions of the ulcerative colitis drug, Lialda, until 2020.
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The US District Court for Southern Florida ruled that Allergan’s subsidiaries Watson Pharma and Watson Laboratories had infringed on two claims of the Lialda drug patent.
Shire senior vice president and global head of intellectual property James Harrington said: "Shire is very pleased that the court has once again ruled in our favour, reaffirming the validity of the patent protecting Lialda.
"This ruling supports the innovation and value we continue to bring to the patients who benefit from this important medicine that allows them to lead better lives."
The FDA approved Lialda in 2007. It generated sales of $684m in 2015.
Lialda (mesalamine) is a prescription medication approved for the induction of remission in patients with active, mild to moderate ulcerative colitis (UC) and for the maintenance of remission of UC.
No abbreviated new drug application’s have been approved for generic versions of Lialda, which affects a substance in the body that leads to inflammation, tissue damage, and diarrhea.
The most common side effects reported in clinical studies of Lialda were UC, headache, abnormal liver function test results, stomach ache, and inflammation of the pancreas.