Pfizer announced Tuesday that the US patent office accepted the company’s application to correct the technical defect in the ‘995 enantiomer patent for Lipitor (atorvastatin). “The re-issued ‘995 patent will have the same force and effect as the original…and the same June 2011 expiration date, (including the six-month paediatric exclusivity period),” Pfizer stated.

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Raymond Kerins, the company’s vice president of worldwide communications, noted: “We have said all along that we had strong arguments for securing the re-issue of the patent, and after a vigorous and thorough examination, the patent office agreed with this conclusion.”

In June 2008, the drugmaker reached a settlement with Ranbaxy, preventing the Indian manufacturer from selling generic versions of Lipitor before November 30, 2011.

Source: FirstWord

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