The US District Court in Chicago granted Abbott's request for a preliminary injunction that will prevent unauthorised generic copies of Abbott's Biaxin XL from Ranbaxy and Andrx.

It is expected that a full patent infringement trial will take place in 2006, although no date has been set, informs a company release.

Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The company employs more than 60,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries.