RANBAXY PARTLY WINS LIPITOR PATENT CHALLENGE IN NORWAY

A Norwegian court Aug. 29 ruled that Ranbaxy's generic version of Pfizer's blockbuster cholesterol drug Lipitor does not infringe on two of Pfizer's patents for the medication -- however, another patent remains in effect that will not allow Ranbaxy to launch a generic version of the drug in Norway until 2009.

That patent -- unsuccessfully challenged by Ranbaxy last year in the same Norwegian court that handed down the new ruling -- covers a "nearly final" form of Lipitor, Pfizer spokesman Bryant Haskins said.

Haskins said the three patents found not to be infringed on cover different intermediate compounds used in the commercial process to synthesize atorvastatin, the active ingredient in Lipitor (atorvastatin calcium).

Ranbaxy's appeal of the decision upholding the remaining patent is scheduled for March, the company said in a statement.

Worldwide sales of Lipitor in 2005 were $12.8 billion, $7.4 billion in the U.S.

Ranbaxy has launched Lipitor patent challenges in the U.S., Austria, Finland, Norway, Spain, Denmark, Portugal and the Netherlands.