Sun to stop making Alzheimer's drug after losing patent battle

MUMBAI: Sun Pharmaceuticals has agreed not to manufacture and market the generic version of Alzheimer���s drug of Forest Laboratories, after it lost patent battle with the US drugmaker on Thursday. (Watch)

Sun Pharma has agreed to cease manufacturing or marketing of the drug during the life of the patent, unless all asserted claims of the patent have been found to be invalid. Forest Lab���s patent for Namenda expires in 2010, but the company has submitted an application to extend it till 2013.

Bino Pathiparampil, vice-president (research) at India Infoline said the legal defeat would have no immediate impact on Sun, as it had not started manufacturing the product. An e-mail sent to Sun Pharma did not elicit response. Sun Pharma shares closed 1.88% higher at Rs 1347.10 on BSE on Friday.

Sun Pharma earlier claimed that its application was not a violation of Forest Labs��� patent, but recently admitted it could constitute ���technical act of infringement���.

Forest Labs has also been fighting cases with Lupin, Orchid Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals, Wockhardt, and Ranbaxy in the US District Court for patent violation of Namenda. Analysts, however, are not certain whether other Indian companies will follow Sun Pharma, as the process of making the drug varies for companies.

Forest���s Namenda (memantine hydrochloride) is a crucial drug in Alzheimer���s disease treatment, and it recorded a sale of $949.3 million in FY09.