( Never mind Sicko. Everyday expressions ...)Generic Competitor for Plavix Blocked in US,Health

Never mind Sicko. Everyday expressions of outrage over the soaring healthcare costs dont seem to matter either for US judges. A Canadian company's cheap generic version of the blood thinner Plavix has been blocked from the U.S. market until at least 2011. U.S. District Judge Sidney H. Stein said Tuesday that Apotex Inc. had failed to prove during a three-week trial in New York City earlier this year that the patent protecting Plavix from competitors was invalid.
Plavix (generic name clopidogrel) prevents platelets (substances in the blood) from clustering. This helps to prevent blood from forming blood clots.
Clopidogrel is used in the prevention and treatment of heart attack, stroke, blood clots, and acute coronary syndrome.

Plavix used by 48 million Americans, is Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.'s best selling product. It is the world's second best selling drug after Pfizer Inc.'s cholesterol-lowering agent Lipitor. The ruling also was a victory for the French patent-holder, Sanofi-Aventis, which sells Plavix in the United States through Bristol-Myers.

"We're pleased that our intellectual property rights have been maintained," said Bristol-Myers spokesman Tony Plohoros. Robert L. Baechtold, a lawyer for Bristol-Myers and Sanofi, said Stein delivered a "carefully thought out and well reasoned decision." Apotex said it would file an immediate appeal with the Federal Circuit in Washington. A win would allow the company to "once again make possible billions of dollars in savings for the public," said Chief Executive Barry Sherman.

Apotex's drug sells for about $124 for 30 pills, compared with $148 for a month's supply for the branded version. Shares of Bristol-Myers surged $1.27, or 4.2 percent, to $31.58 Tuesday, while Sanofi-Aventis' U.S. shares rose 24 cents to $41.59. Last year, Stein had granted a request by Sanofi-Aventis to stop Apotex from producing the generic drug, which had gained a majority of market
'"/>




Page: 1 2
Related medicine news :

1. Generic drug costs remain shackled
2. FDA Approves Indian Generic Drug For AIDS Treatment
3. Proper Validation of Generic Drugs Could Save Millions of AIDS Patients
4. AIDS Generic Drugs Approved by FDA for Sale in US
5. HIV Mortality declining in India due to Generic Antiretroviral therapy drugs
6. Generic Drugs Usage In US Can Save $20 Billion – Express Script Surve
7. Generic Products Compete With GlaxoSmithKline
8. ViroPharma Shares Fall As FDA Moves Towards Generic Vancocin
9. Ranbaxy Expands By Acquiring A Generic Company In Belgium
10. First Generic Version of Lexapro permitted by US
11. Dr Reddys Launches Generic Version Of Mercks Proscar Tablets