Peace made between the American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and the Indian Ranbaxy. The US group and India's largest generics producer have settled the lawsuit that they have been battling for five years over the issue relating to the patent on the anti-cholesterol drug Lipitor. The deal ends a five-year feud sparked by Ranbaxy's plans to market a generic version of the drug starting in 2010. The patent on Lipitor is expected to expire in two years, but Pfizer says the product is covered from other licenses whose validity should protect what is one of its flagship products until 2016. The two companies have repeatedly clashed in court on this thesis. The agreement reached yesterday represents a mediation between the claims of the two companies, and foresees that Ranbaxy will be able to start marketing the generic version of the drug from 2011. A compromise, which however cannot be applied by other generic drug manufacturers. The agreement will also be valid only in the USA, Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Italy and Austria, while in five other countries: Finland, Spain, Portugal, Denmark and Romania. MF of 06/19/2008 p. 12
