SEROQUEL SUMMARY JUDGMENT

RNS Number : 0993Y

AstraZeneca PLC

02 July 2008

 



2 July 2008

SUMMARY JUDGMENT GRANTED FOR SEROQUEL PATENT LITIGATION IN THE US

AstraZeneca today announced that the US District Court for the District of New Jersey has granted the company's Motion for Summary Judgment of No Inequitable Conduct. AstraZeneca had sued Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and Sandoz, Inc. alleging infringement of AstraZeneca's patent as a result of Teva's and Sandoz's filings of Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDAs). The ANDAs sought approval to market generic versions of SEROQUEL (quetiapine fumarate) tablets in the US before SEROQUEL's patent expires in 2011. Since the Court granted AstraZeneca's motion for Summary Judgment of No Inequitable Conduct in its entirety, trial is unnecessary.

'We are pleased with the Court's decision to uphold our valid intellectual property. SEROQUEL remains an important part of our company's portfolio benefiting patients and physicians throughout the world,' said David Brennan, CEO of AstraZeneca.  

AstraZeneca's Motion for Summary Judgment of No Inequitable Conduct sought judgment on all of the remaining liability issues in the case. Teva and Sandoz had already conceded infringement and the validity of AstraZeneca's patent. Thus, only the inequitable conduct contentions remained to be resolved. The Court had previously set a date for trial beginning on 11 August 2008.

-ENDS-

About AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business engaged in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of prescription pharmaceuticals and the supply of healthcare services. It is one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies with healthcare sales of $29.55 billion and leading positions in sales of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory, oncology and infection products. AstraZeneca is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (Global) as well as the FTSE4Good Index.

For more information about AstraZeneca please visit: www.astrazeneca.com

For further information:

Media Enquiries:
Neil McCrae, [phone] (24 hours)
Steve Brown, [phone] (24 hours)
Chris Sampson, [phone] (24 hours)

Investor Enquiries:
Jonathan Hunt, [phone]
Ed Seage, [phone]
Karl Hard, [phone]
Jorgen Winroth, [phone]
Mina Blair, [phone]
Peter Vozzo, (MedImmune) [phone]

 

END

 

 

MSCRTMATMMAMMLP