CAFC decision would allow Cubicin generics in 2016

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit upheld a district court decision to invalidate four patents covering Cubicin daptomycin from Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK). The decision would allow generic competitors to enter the market as early as mid-2016. The invalidated patents were to expire in 2019 and 2020.

The CAFC affirmed the validity of one Cubicin patent, which expires on June 15, 2016. The suit was between Cubist, which Merck has since acquired, and Hospira Inc., which is now part of Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE). ...