Pfizer Action to Delay Ranbaxy Lipitor Generic Launch

Indian generics producer Ranbaxy has claimed that it will not proceed with its plans to launch a generic version of Pfizer's blockbuster cholesterol treatment Lipitor (atorvastatin) until related legal issues are resolved.

The company had previously claimed it would press ahead with a launch, despite ongoing legal actions estimated to have cost it some US$25mn last year. Meanwhile, a US ruling is not expected until July, and even if the company succeeds, Pfizer is likely to appeal at the federal level, delaying a possible launch by at least another 12 months.