Court upholds patent on Eisai’s Aciphex

TOKYO A United States appeals court ruled Monday to block generic competition to Tokyo-based Eisai’s stomach ulcer drug Aciphex.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled against Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, which had filed applications with the Food and Drug Administration for approval of generic versions of the drug, whose active ingredient is rabeprazole. Eisai filed the lawsuit in November 2003. The FDA approved Aciphex in 1999, and its patent will expire in 2013.

“Eisai will continue to actively protect its intellectual property throughout the world,” said Hajime Shimizu, chairman and chief executive officer of Eisai Inc. and Eisai North America.

Aciphex had sales of $1.63 billion, according to Bloomberg.