DR. REDDY'S, GSK SETTLE IMITREX LITIGATION

Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, an India-based pharma company, announced that it has settled patent litigation with British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) relating to its sumatriptan succinate tablets, the generic version of GSK's Imitrex.

The terms of the settlement, which remain subject to government review, provide that Dr. Reddy's may exclusively distribute an authorized generic version of sumatriptan succinate tablets (in 25, 50 and 100-mg strengths) in the United States with an expected launch date late in the fourth quarter of 2008, before the expiration of the pediatric exclusivity on GSK's patent in early 2009. Additional terms of the settlement agreement were not disclosed.

Imitrex, which is indicated for the acute treatment of migraine attacks in adults, had U.S. sales of $890 million for the 12-month period ending June, according to IMS Health data.