NEW YORK, July 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Forest Laboratories, Inc.
(NYSE: FRX) said today that the U.S. District Court for the District of
Delaware has determined that the U.S. patent covering escitalopram, the
active ingredient in Lexapro(R), is both valid, enforceable and infringed
by Ivax/Teva's proposed generic product, thereby confirming Forest's and
Lundbeck's patent rights for Lexapro(R), which expire in March 2012.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20001011/FORESTLOGO )
Judge Joseph J. Farnan ruled in Forest's and Lundbeck's favor in a
lawsuit brought by Forest and its partner H. Lundbeck A/S of Denmark
against the generic manufacturer Ivax/Teva.
The patent at issue in the U.S. lawsuit is Lexapro's patent (U.S.
Patent No. Re 34,712), which is set to expire in March 2012 and covers
substantially pure escitalopram.
About Forest Laboratories
Forest Laboratories (http://www.frx.com) is a US-based pharmaceutical company
dedicated to identifying, developing, and delivering products that make a
positive difference in peoples' lives. Forest Laboratories' growing product
line includes Lexapro(R) (escitalopram oxalate), an SSRI indicated for
adults for the initial and maintenance treatment of major depressive
disorder and for generalized anxiety disorder; Namenda(R) (memantine HCl),
an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-receptor antagonist indicated for the
treatment of moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease; Benicar(R)*
(olmesartan medoxomil), an angiotensin receptor blocker, and Benicar*
HCT(R) (olmesartan medoxomil-hydrochlorothiazide), an angiotensin receptor
blocker and diuretic combination product, each indicated for the treatment
of hypertension; and Campral(R)* (acamprosate calcium), indicated in
combination with psychosocial support for the maintenance of abstinence
from alcohol in patients with alcohol dependence who are abstinent at
treatment initiation.
* Benicar is a registered trademark of Sankyo Pharma, Inc., and Campral is
a registered trademark of Merck Sante s.a.s., subsidiary of Merck KGaA,
Darmstadt, Germany.
Except for the historical information contained herein, this release
contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private
Securities Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve a number of risks
and uncertainties, including the difficulty of predicting FDA approvals,
the acceptance and demand for new pharmaceutical products, the impact of
competitive products and pricing, the timely development and launch of new
products, and the risk factors listed from time to time in the Forest
Laboratories' SEC reports, including the Company's Annual Report on Form
10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2006.
SOURCE Forest Laboratories, Inc.
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.frx.com
Photo Notes:http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20001011/FORESTLOGO
CONTACT:
Charles E. Triano of Forest Laboratories,
Inc., Vice President, Investor Relations, +1-212-224-6714,
charles.triano@frx.com
|
