Cipher, Ranbaxy settle patent litigation with Actavis

Cipher Pharma Inc, along with partners Ranbaxy - a Sun Pharma firm - and Galephar Pharmaceutical Research, has entered into a patent litigation settlement with Actavis over generic version of Absorica, a drug used to treat acne.
The company, along with its two partners, has entered into a settlement agreement with Actavis Laboratories, Andrx Corp, Actavis Inc and Actavis Pharma, that dismisses the patent litigation suit relating to Actavis' ANDA for a generic version of Absorica, Cipher said in a statement.
As part of the settlement agreement, the three companies have entered into a non-exclusive license agreement with Actavis under which Actavis may begin selling its generic version of Absorica in the US on December 27, 2020, around nine months prior to the expiration of the patents in September, 2021 or earlier under certain circumstances, it added.

The agreement is subject to review by the US Federal Trade Commission and the US Department of Justice, it said.
Ranbaxy had in-licensed Absorica from Cipher and launched the product in the US market last year. In 2013, Actavis(then Watson) had filed for a generic version of Absorica, challenging the patent.
Cipher is a specialty pharmaceutical dermatology company with a diversified portfolio of commercial stage products.
Last year, Ranbaxy had launched Absorica capsules in the US market. Absorica was developed by Cipher and Ranbaxy had in-licensed the brand and is promoting it in the US market.