Global integrated specialty pharmaceutical company, Actavis plc, recently confirmed that the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia has ruled that United States Patent No. RE44,048 (the '048 Patent) is invalid.  

Actavis was earlier sued by plaintiffs G D Searle LLC and Pfizer Asia Pacific PTE, Ltd. for infringement of the '048 Patent in connection with its abbreviated new drug application directed to Actavis' generic version of Pfizer's Celebrex (celecoxib) 50 mg, 100 mg, 200 mg  and 400 mg capsules.  

The company intends to launch the product Celebrex following the expiration of United States Patent Nos. 5,466,823 and 5,563,165 in May 2014, pending final approval of its Abbreviated New Drug Application by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Based on available information, Actavis believes it may be entitled to 180 days of generic market exclusivity or shared exclusivity, subject to the FDA's determination that the product qualifies for an award of exclusivity under the provisions of the Hatch-Waxman Act.

Celebrex is indicated for the treatment of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, acute pain and primary dysmenorrhea.  For the 12 months ended December 31, 2013, Celebrex had total US sales of approximately $2.2 billion.