Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited announced that the US District Court for the District of New Jersey hearing the preliminary injunction motion brought by Pfizer against Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. (Teva) and Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals Inc. (RPI) enjoined Teva and RPI from selling RPI's quinapril tablets (5, 10, 20, and 40 mg).
Pfizer had asserted that RPI's quinapril tablets, which have been marketed through an exclusivity relinquishment arrangement with Teva, were infringing US Patent No. 4,743,450 literally and under the doctrine of equivalents, a Ranbaxy release said.
Jay Deshmukh, Ranbaxy's vice president, Intellectual Property, stated, that while Teva and RPI will comply with the preliminary injunction they also will immediately file with the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit an appeal to have the injunction lifted and a motion to expedite the appeal. Jay further stated that RPI is confident that it will, on appeal, be able to make a compelling argument in support of its non-infringement position.