Novo Nordisk affirms its commitment to protecting its intellectual property following denial of its motion for a preliminary injunction to prohibit Pfizer from marketing its inhaled insulin product Exubera in the US.

The court stated that issues of infringement and validity "will be best served through closer inspection at trial." Novo Nordisk does not therefore regard the ruling as impairing the strength of our underlying case, and also notes that the ruling involves only one of the five patents at issue in the case, a Novo Nordisk press release stated.

Novo Nordisk remains confident in the strength of our patents and looks forward to a full trial on the merits of the infringement case against Pfizer. We continue to believe that our commitment to changing diabetes, innovation, and to helping people with diabetes depends upon respect for patents.

In August 2006, Novo Nordisk filed a lawsuit against Pfizer claiming that Exubera infringes patents owned by Novo Nordisk. The patents cover inhaled insulin treatment for diabetes. No trial date has yet been set.