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Generic versions of Sanofi-Aventi`s Eloxatin (oxaliplatin) may appear in the US sooner than expected after a ruling by the District Court of New Jersey.
It has granted summary judgment motions brought by generic drugmaker Hospira in patent litigation over the French company`s cancer drug. Eloxatin is a treatment option for stage III colon cancer and advanced colorectal cancer
Hospira now says it expects shortly to receive full US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for its generic version of the drug, which does not infringe Sanofi’s patents.
However, Sanofi says it will appeal the court decision, and not change its 2009 guidance concerning its patents as a result of the court order.
The judgment may result in an earlier-than-expected launch of generic Eloxatin in the US.
According to JP Morgan analyst Alexandra Hauber, this may mean an alternative to Eloxatin appearing some time in the near future.
Copyright Press Association 2009