Teva loses birth-control pill appeal in US

A US appeals court allows Watson Pharmaceutical to sell a generic version of Teva's Seasonique birth-control pill.

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington affirmed a lower court ruling that let Watson enter the market even as it awaits the outcome of a patent-infringement lawsuit filed by Teva’s Duramed unit.

Watson began selling a generic version of Teva’s Seasonique contraceptive in July. Teva contends the copy infringes a patent that expires in January 2024, and sought to block sales until a trial on the validity of the patent.

Seasonique generated $110 million in sales in the 12 months ending April 30, New Jersey-based Watson said in July, citing IMS Health data.

Teva's share price fell 0.2% on Nasdaq on Friday to $40.52, giving a market cap of $35.9 billion, and fell 1.6% in early trading on the TASE to NIS 151.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on November 13, 2011

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