Dr Reddy's moves US court against stay on generic drug

Dr Reddy's Laboratories has filed a petition in the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit against the preliminary injunction imposed by another US court preventing the Indian drug-maker from selling the generic Suboxone sublingual film in America.

Suboxone (buprenorphine and naloxone) sublingual film (applied under the tongue) is meant for the treatment of opioid dependence/addiction.

The US Court of Appeals , which said it may hear the petition in the first week of October, had 'granted-in-part' themotion to expeditethe appeal of Dr Reddy's.

Based ona petition of Indivior, a specialty pharmaceuticals business listed on the London Stock Exchange, the US court for the district of New Jersey, had, on July 13,granted the preliminary injunction on the launch of Suboxone by Dr Reddy's which has appealed against the ruling.

Indiviorsaid itwould continue to defend its patent rights to the Suboxonefilm, including opposing Dr Reddy's appeal.

Suboxone recorded sales of around $1.86 billion in the US for the year ending April 2018, according tomarket reports.

A senior official of Dr Reddys had earlier indicated that it sold Suboxone worth over USD 15 million in the US market giving fillip to profit in the first quarter.