[Ip-health] Novartis turns on EMR heat on rivals

[Joana Ramos]

http://www.business-standard.com/today/story.asp?menu=3D2&story=3D30591

Novartis turns on EMR heat on rivals

Our Corporate Bureau in Mumbai
Published : December 25, 2003

Novartis India has taken the exclusive marketing rights (EMR) battle one
step further by announcing its plans today to take legal recourse against
generic manufacturers of its anti-cancer drug Glivec (imatinib mesylate) if
they do not voluntarily withdraw their imatinib products.

=B3We vigourously defend our rights and will take the necessary legal actio=
n
to enforce our EMR,=B2 said Ranjit Shahani, vice-chairman and managing
director, Novartis India Ltd.

Natco, Sun Pharmaceuticals, Ranbaxy, Cipla, Intas and Camlin Pharmaceutical=
s
are the companies that have the generic imatinib product in their portflio.

Natco is challenging the EMR on grounds that it can be granted only in
respect of patents/applications filed in a convention country after January
1, 1995, as per the provisions of the Indian Patent Act.

Refuting claims by other drug manufacturers that Novartis had patented the
crystalline form of imatinib prior to 1995, the official gazette
notification states that the beta crystalline of imatinib was patented on
July 17, 1998.

Novartis also said that it will resume the Glivec International Patient
Assistance Program (GIPAP) that it discontinued in May 2003.


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