Allergan Inc has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Alcon Laboratories Inc, Alcon Research Ltd and Alcon Inc. The lawsuit was filed in the US District Court for the District of Delaware.

Allergan filed the lawsuit in response to Alcon's filing of a New Drug Application with the US Food and Drug Administration under section 505(b)(2) of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

In the application, Alcon seeks to market a generic brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution 0.15 per cent product in the United States. Brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution 0.15 per cent is currently marketed by Allergan in the United States under Allergan's Alphagan P trademark, company said in a release.

Allergan filed the lawsuit on the basis that Alcon's proposed generic product infringes certain patents held by Allergan.

Allergan Inc, with headquarters in Irvine, California, is a technology-driven, global health care company providing specialty pharmaceutical products worldwide.