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news.A US district court in New Jersey has upheld Pfizer's patents for anti-inflammatory drug Celebrex against generics manufacturer Teva Pharmaceuticals.
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The Israeli-based company had argued that the patents are invalid because prior inventions made the technology “obvious” and because Celebrex was covered by an earlier patent. However, the court ruled that Pfizer's patents on Celebrex capsules in 100 mg, 200 mg, and 400 mg dose strengths are valid and enforceable. Teva plans to appeal this decision.
The decision prohibits Teva from launching a competitor drug in the US until December 2015. Celebrex is the world's top-selling arthritis drug, and its sales totaled $1.57 billion in the US in 2006.