Dr Reddy's loses patent case with Eli Lilly over Alimta

Dr Reddys Laboratories Limited has lost a legal battle with Eli Lilly and Company in a patent litigation on Alimta (pemetrexed for injection), a drug used for treatment of various types of cancer, in USA.

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana ruled in favor of Lilly, a release from the US drug maker said.

The court held that the Alimta (pemetrexed for injection) vitamin regimen patent would be infringed by the competitor that had stated its intent to market alternative salt forms of pemetrexed prior to the patent's expiration in May 2022.

"We are pleased with today's (June 22) District Court ruling finding the Alimta vitamin regimen patent would be infringed by the competitor's proposed products," Michael J. Harrington, Lilly's senior vice-president and general counsel, said reacting to the courts judgement.

He also said Lilly's extensive research to discover the "Alimta vitamin regimen patent deserved intellectual property protection."