Indian IPAB provides relief for Pfizer in Sutent patent revocation case

India’s Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) has provided global pharma behemoth Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) significant relief, setting aside the revocation of the patent of the company's anti-cancer drug Sutent (sunitinib), reports the Economic Times of India. The Board has asked the Patent Office to consider the entire matter afresh in a time-bound manner, which had twice revoked the patent earlier.

Earlier this year, the Indian patent office again ruled in favor of domestic drugmaker Cipla (BSE: 500087), reinstating its earlier decision to revoke Pfizer’s patent for kidney cancer agent Sutent in India (The Pharma Letter February 12).

"The impugned order is set aside and the matter is sent back to the Controller General with directions to constitute a fresh Opposition Board and to nominate a Controller other than the Controller who has passed the impugned order to decide the matter within a time-bound frame," noted board chairman Justice Prabha Sridevan and technical member D P S Parmar said.