Sanofi prevails over Sun Pharma in Eloxatin patent suit; another generic Lovenox approved

There was good and bad news for French drug major Sanofi (Euronext: SAN) yesterday, when the US District Court for the District of New Jersey ruled against Indian generic drugmaker Sun Pharmaceuticals with respect to a contractual dispute arising from the resolution of the Eloxatin (oxaliplatin) patent litigation. However, the US Food and Drug Administration also approved a second generic version of the French group’s blockbuster blood thinner Lovenox (enoxaparin).

Sun had appealed the District Court’s April 2010 ruling requiring Sun to cease selling its at-risk generic oxaliplatin products as of June 30, 2010. In December 2010 the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit vacated the District Court’s ruling and remanded the case to the District Court of New Jersey for further consideration.

The District Court’s latest ruling maintains US market exclusivity of Eloxatin, indicated for the treatment of colorectal cancer, through August 9, 2012. Second-quarter 2011 sales of Eloxatin) were up 163.8% year-on-year to 248 million euros ($341.9 million). The news of the court decision saw Sun’s shares fall over 2.6% to 474.80 rupees on the Bombay Stock Exchange.