• January 4, 2008

Pfizer Inc plans to appeal a Canadian Federal Court decision in favor of generic manufacturer Apotex in its challenge to a Pfizer patent covering Lipitor.

The court denied Pfizer's request to prevent Apotex from launching a generic version of Lipitor prior to the expiration of Pfizer's enantiomer (calcium salt) patent in July 2010. The court's decision has no immediate commercial impact because Lipitor is protected by other patents in Canada, which also are the subject of pending legal challenges.

The ruling by the Federal Court has no impact on Lipitor patent litigation in other countries.

--Nina M. Lentini