Ranbaxy settles with Takeda over Actos generic; Impax challenges Abbott/Fournier Trilipix patent in USA

India-based Ranbaxy and its US subsidiary have reached an agreement with Japan's largest drugmaker, Takeda, resolving outstanding patent litigation related to Ranbaxy's generic version of the diabetes drug Actos (pioglitazone) 15mg, 30mg and 45mg tablets.

Under the terms of the deal, Takeda granted Ranbaxy - which is 64% owned by Japan's Daiichi Sankyo -a non-exclusive royalty free license to its US patents covering Actos, also providing the latter with certainty in the launch of its generic equivalent formulation on August 17, 2012, or earlier under certain circumstances. Actos had approximately $3.4 billion in US brand sales for the12 months ending December 31, 2009, according to IMS Health.

In what was another deal designed to delay the entry of a copy drug on to the US market, earlier this month Watson Pharmaceuticals reached a similar settlement agreement with Takeda, and its US subsidiary giving them rights to introduce a generic copy of Actos on August 17, 2012 (The Pharma Letter March 11).