Alcon Wins Patanol US Patent Infringement Lawsuit Against Apotex

The court's decision would prevent Apotex from bringing its generic version of the drug to market prior to the Patanol patent expiration in 2015.

Novartis announced Tuesday that two affiliates of its Alcon Division, Alcon Laboratories, Inc. and Alcon Research, Ltd. have prevailed in a US patent infringement lawsuit filed along with Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co. Ltd. against Apotex, Inc. and Apotex Corp. in the US District Court for the Southern District of Indiana.

Alcon's lawsuit was filed in response to Apotex's submission of an Abbreviated New Drug Application to the US Food and Drug Administration requesting approval to manufacture and sell a generic version of Alcon's Patanol? (olopatadine hydrochloride ophthalmic solution) prior to the expiration of US patent number 5,641,805, which is jointly owned by Alcon and Kyowa. The court's decision, which is subject to appeal, would prevent Apotex from bringing its generic version of the drug to market prior to the Patanol patent expiration in 2015.