Novartis Settles Litigation On Gleevec With Sun Pharma Subsidiary

(RTTNews) - Novartis (NVS) announced that Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp has settled its litigation with the United States subsidiary of Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. relating to Novartis patents covering the use of certain polymorphic forms of Gleevec (imatinib mesylate), which expire in 2019 (incl pediatric exclusivity). The basic compound patent for Gleevec expires in the U.S. on July 4, 2015.

As a result of settlement, Novartis will permit Sun Pharma's subsidiary to market a generic version of Gleevec in the United States on February 1, 2016.

Sun Pharma's subsidiary has received tentative approval from FDA for its generic version of imatinib mesylate. Patents are vital to the ability of innovative companies like Novartis to invest in high-risk research to advance breakthrough treatments for patients without treatment options.