AstraZeneca files series of patent lawsuits against potential generic Crestor producers

WILMINGTON, Del. AstraZeneca has filed patent infringement actions against a total of eight drug companies who are trying to get their generic versions of the cholesterol lowering drug Crestor approved for marketing, according to published reports.

The first company that tried to file for a generic version was Cobalt Pharmaceuticals last month. The company submitted an application to market a generic version of Crestor in 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg and 40 mg strengths. It alleged that the claims of two patents, which expire in January 2016 and August 2020 “are not infringed, invalid or unenforceable” by its move. AstraZeneca denounced the challenges, stating that it believed strongly in its intellectual property portfolio.

The other companies making patent challenges are Teva Pharmaceuticals, Aurobindo Pharma, Apotex, Par Pharmaceutical, Novartis’ Sandoz unit, Mylan, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals and Sun Pharmaceutical. AstraZeneca is taking action against Aurobindo, Apotex, Cobalt, Par, Sandoz, Mylan and Sun, but not Teva and Glenmark, since they sent notice letters to the drugs giant that they are challenging two patents, expiring in 2020 and 2021, not the 2016 one.

Crestor brought in over $2 billion for the company last year, making it the company’s third best selling product.