US Court confirms Pfizer patents on Lyrica valid through 2018

23 July 2012

The US District Court for the District of Delaware upheld the Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) composition of matter patent and pain and seizure use patents covering the firm’s Lyrica (pregabalin) capsules CV in a case against Israel’s Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (Nasdaq: TEVA).

With this decision, Pfizer says it will exclusively provide pregabalin as Lyrica to patients through December 30, 2018 in the USA, pending generic company appeal and further litigation.

Lyrica generated sales of $3.7 billion for Pfizer in 2011 and $955 million in the first quarter of this year. Pfizer filed infringement law suits in federal court beginning in 2009 against generic drugmakers which sought Food and Drug Administration approval to market generic versions of pregabalin ahead of before patent protection expiry. The challenging companies included Teva, US firms Mylan and Watson Pharmaceuticals, and India’s Lupin and Sun Pharmaceuticals.

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