Amerigen Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Forest Laboratories cardiovascular news
Forest and Amerigen settled a March 2012 patent suit claiming Amerigen's ANDA for a generic version of hypertension drug Bystolic nebivolol infringes Forest's U.S. Patent No. 6,545,040. The patent covers methods of treating hypertension with Bystolic and expires in December 2021. Under the settlement, Amerigen will receive a license to market its generic version of Bystolic by the later of either three months prior to the expiration of the '040 patent, including any extension and/or pediatric exclusivities, or the date FDA approves an ANDA or earlier in undisclosed circumstances. The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware and transferred to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in June 2012. Forest has settled similar cases against several other generics companies. Forest said litigation against Actavis Inc. (NYSE:ACT, Parsippany, N.J.), formerly known as Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc., is ongoing in the Illinois court. Forest reported $455 million in Bystolic sales for the fiscal year ending March 31 (see BioCentury, March 19, 2012; Nov. 5, 2012; Dec. 10, 2012; & Jan. 7, 2013). ...