US Appeals Court Affirms AstraZeneca Win On Seroquel Patent
By Brent Kendall, Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- A federal appeals court Friday rejected a challenge
by generic drug makers to AstraZeneca PLC's (AZN) patent for the antipsychotic
drug Seroquel.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, a specialized court that
handles patent appeals, agreed with a federal trial judge in New Jersey that
AstraZeneca didn't deceive the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office when it was
seeking the Seroquel patent.
"We conclude, as did the district court, that the evidence cannot support a
finding that AstraZeneca misrepresented or omitted material information," the
Federal Circuit said.
The ruling rejected a legal challenge brought by Teva Pharmaceutical
Industries Ltd. (TEVA) and Novartis AG's (NVS) Sandoz unit, which were seeking
to market generic versions of the drug.
-By Brent Kendall, Dow Jones Newswires; 202-862-9222; brent.kendall@
dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
09-25-091302ET
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