The US district court in New Jersey denied the motion for a preliminary injunction by drugmakers Wyeth and Altana who were aiming to stop Israel-based Teva from launching generic versions of Protonix.
Teva has a 180-day period of marketing exclusivity, which will begin to run from the date of first commercial marketing or a final court decision, CNN reported.
Teva and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries have challenged the patent for Protonix, which expires in 2010 in the US. A trial date has not been set.
In 2006, Protonix generated sales of $1.8 billion, making it Wyeth's third best-selling product.