Brilinta War: AstraZeneca, Dr Reddys in patent battle over generic version of ticagrelor

New Delhi: Dr Reddy's Laboratories has been dragged to Delhi High Court by AstraZeneca in order to block the firm from launching the generic versions of its drug Brilinta.

Brilinta is an ADP receptor inhibitor, has been termed as the blockbuster medicine of AstraZeneca for heart ailments. The medicine is used in high-risk patients to avoid thrombosis.

It is an oral antiplatelet treatment that works by inhibiting platelet activation is superior to clopidogrel and is the first and only oral antiplatelet to demonstrate superior reductions in cardiovascular death. The tablet also reduces the rate of stent thrombosis in patients who have been stented for treatment of acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

AstraZeneca has filed a lawsuit in the Delhi High Court claiming that the potential launch of the drug violets the existing patent on the drug.

Lawyers told ET that Court has asked Dr Reddy's to file a reply to the lawsuit and the further arguments will be heard on July 31. Till the next hearing, Dr Reddy's cannot launch its generic version of the drug.

In the hearing on Tuesday, AstraZeneca's counsel argued in court that the copies of the drug can be manufactured only after all the patents covering it expire.

Brilinta has achieved blockbuster status in 2017 when it raked in over $1billion in global sales for AstraZeneca.

It has been reported that Dr Reddy's generic version was to be marketed as Ticaflo.

According to the daily, the launch was triggered after one of AstraZeneca's key patents for Brilinta expired in India earlier this month.

However, AstraZeneca argued that one patent is still valid and effectively bars commercial launches of copies.

Earlier this year, similar lawsuits had been filed against Natco Pharmaceuticals and Micro Labs by AstraZeneca and both the companies are also blocked since May from launching their own copies of the drug.

Micro Labs alleged in earlier court hearings that AstraZeneca was attempting to "evergreen" its patent on ticagrelor, which means the innovator of the drug is keen to prolong its monopoly of the product beyond its legitimate patent life. Leena Menghaney, South Asia regional head for Médecins Sans Frontières' Access Campaign said it was a "classic tactic," quotes ET.

A spokesperson of AstraZeneca told ET, "The matter is sub judice and no comments can be made at this stage."