Indian Patent office invokes compulsory licensing rule, Natco to sell generic version of Nexvar

Bayer has lost a landmark drug ruling in India, forcing it to grant a compulsory licence for its cancer treatment Nexavar to Natco Pharma in a move that could bring down the cost of other pricey medicines.

The Indian Patent Office issued its first ever compulsory licence to Natco, a local generic drug manufacturer, effectively ending the German drugmaker's monopoly in India on the drug for treating kidney and liver cancer. Natco has been allowed to sell the drug at a price not exceeding Rs 8,880 for a pack of 120 tablets required for a month's treatment as compared to a whopping Rs 2.80 lakh per month charged by Bayer for its patented Nexavar drug.

As per WTO agreement, a compulsory license can be invoked by a national government allowing someone else to produce a patented product or process without the consent of the patent owner. It is done for the cause of public health. The move, however, will unnerve international pharmaceutical companies. They are eyeing emerging markets like India as a major growth opportunity but remain worried about intellectual property protection in such countries.

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Wyeth Claims $960M from Sun Pharma In Protonix Case

Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc is seeking $960 million in damages from Sun Pharmaceutical Industries for alleged patent infringement in launching a generic version of Protonix ( Pantoprazole) in the United States., The original patent relating to Protonix, is held by Nycomed and was licensed to Wyeth, which is now owned by Pfizer. Sun launched its generic version of Protonix tablets in January 2008 after Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and its US subsidiary began selling the drug in December 2007.

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