Par settles patent litigation for atrial fibrillation generic

WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J. A generic drug maker has agreed to settle patent litigation relating to its generic version of a drug for atrial fibrillation.

Par Pharmaceutical Companies announced Tuesday that it had entered the agreement with Reliant Pharmaceuticals over the drug Rythmol SR (propafenone) capsules.

Under the agreement, Par will have the right to introduce a generic version of Rythmol SR in January 2011, or earlier under certain circumstances. The drug is used to prolong the time to recurrence of symptomatic atrial fibrillation in patients without structural heart disease.

Patent litigation between the two companies in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware has been dismissed.