https://m.firstwordpharma.com/eli-lilly-wins-uk-supreme-court-ruling-alimta-vitamin-regimen-patents
礼来力比泰的维生素给药方案专利诉讼，从13年到15年再到17年，7号在英国又赢一场，在英国等国家可以保护到21年。阿特维斯（梯瓦）仿制个力比泰的其它盐型都不可以，真悲催。力比泰2016年全球销售额为23亿美金，在肺癌市场，各种新药陆续上市，力比泰这个传统化疗药保持这个业绩真是不容易。
原文如下：
Eli Lilly wins UK Supreme Court ruling on Alimta vitamin regimen patents
Eli Lilly on Friday said the UK Supreme Court ruled that alternative salt forms of the company's cancer drug Alimta (pemetrexed) sold by Teva's Actavis unit directly infringe Eli Lilly's vitamin regimen patents in the UK, France, Italy and Spain. The court also ruled in Eli Lilly's favour by affirming a 2015 UK Court of Appeal judgment stating that the Alimta vitamin regimen patent would be indirectly, but not directly, infringed as a result of Actavis reconstituting or diluting its generic product with saline.
Eli Lilly noted that following the 2015 decision, Actavis proceeded with an at-risk launch of pemetrexed Armisarte, formerly known as pemetrexed Actavis. "Today's announcement by the UK Supreme Court finds the Actavis product infringing, regardless of the diluent used in reconstitution or dilution," the company said, adding that the apex court is expected to issue its full judgment on July 12.
Michael Harrington, general counsel for Eli Lilly, stated that "while we do not yet know the court's reasoning, we are pleased with the UK Supreme Court's key conclusions that confirm the Alimta vitamin regimen patent would be infringed by these generic pemetrexed products in the UK, France, Italy and Spain prior to June 2021."
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Commenting on the news, Evercore ISI analyst Umer Raffat estimated that the decision applies to about $300 million worth of annual revenue. Alimta amassed global sales of $2.3 billion last year.
The decision follows a 2016 verdict by the UK High Court that Actavis' generic version of the therapy would not infringe the vitamin regimen patent covering Alimta in the UK, France, Italy and Spain with instructions to dilute the product only with dextrose solution. Earlier this year, a US Court of Appeals upheld a lower-court ruling backing the validity of the vitamin regimen patent covering Alimta in Eli Lilly's patent-infringement dispute with Teva. Meanwhile, a German appeals court previously determined that Actavis' proposed generic would not infringe the vitamin regimen patent for Alimta.
Actavis, which took on the Allergan name after buying the drugmaker, sold the combined company's global generic drugs business to Teva in a $40.5-billion deal that was completed last August.
