Supreme Court denies generic claim on Eli Lilly's Zyprexa

INDIANAPOLIS Eli Lilly is keeping its patent on its top-selling drug Zyprexa, after the U.S. Supreme Court denied an appeal by two generic drug makers seeking to break the patent, according to the Indianapolis Business Journal.

The court denied requests by Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories and Teva Pharmaceuticals that would have asked the justices to force a lower appeals court to reconsider the case.

Zyprexa sales totaled $4.4 billion worldwide last year. Lilly’s patent on the drug runs until 2011. The drug is used to treat bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.