Court rejects Teva's motion to prevent Watson launch of generic Seasonique; nabumetone OKed; Mylan Copaxone judgment

US drugmaker Watson Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: WPI) confirmed on Friday that the US District Court for the District of Nevada denied a request from Duramed Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Israeli generics giant Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (Nasdaq: TEVA), for a preliminary injunction and request for a temporary restraining order preventing Watson's launch of a generic version of the contraceptive Seasonique (levonorgestrel/ethinyl estradiol and ethinyl estradiol. Teva’s shares fell 4% to 163.80 shekels on the news.

On March 25, 2011, Watson received a favorable decision from the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit that reversed and remanded for trial a March 31, 2010 summary judgment order from the US District Court for the District of Nevada regarding US Patent No 7,320,969 (the '969 patent).

On January 22, 2008, Watson notified Teva Women's Health that Watson's Abbreviated New Drug Application contained a paragraph IV certification asserting that the '969 patent is invalid, unenforceable and/or not infringed. Teva acquired Seasonique, an updated version of the now-generic Seasonale, following its 2008 acquisition of USA-based Barr Pharmaceuticals.