No Intention Of Buying Ranbaxy: Pfizer - June 19, 2008

The Lipitor deal had further added to the speculation of Pfizer picking up a stake in Ranbaxy. But Pfizer on June 18 said that it has no intention of picking up stake in Ranbaxy. It described the Liptor deal, in which Ranbaxy would be allowed to launch generic versions of Lipitor before the patent on the drug expires, as pro-patient as well as a win-win situation for both companies. Earlier, on the same day Ranbaxy announced that it has settled its long-running dispute with Pfizer on the cholesterol-fighting drug, Lipitor, which is also among the world''s highest selling drug. The value accruing to Ranbaxy from one of the biggest settlements in the global pharma industry is seen exceeding $1.5 billion, say sources. The settlement covers key markets in eight countries, including the US. Lipitor has global annual sales of around $12 billion, with US sales exceeding $8 billion. Ranbaxy would also benefit from a substantial savings in legal costs from the Pfizer settlement

Ranbaxy To Join Hands With Mercka

Ranbaxy Laboratories is likely to declare a drug discovery research alliance with US drug manufacturer Merck soon. The research deal will be operationalised via Ranbaxy''s de-merged research and development entity, Ranbaxy Life Science Research. Merck will be the second global drug company after GlaxoSmithKline to ink a collaborative research pact with Ranbaxy. Ranbaxy''s ongoing research partnership with GSK also relates to the pre-clinical trial phase of the new drug, with substantial milestone payment and post-commercialisation royalty possibilities. For Merck, the research agreement will be an expansion of its Indian presence in terms of collaborative R&D arrangements. The firm is having drug discovery agreements with Indian companies, including Advinus Therapeutics and Nicholas Piramal India.

Ranbaxy, Astrazeneca Settle Nexium Suit

Ranbaxy Laboratories on April 15 said it has settled a patent litigation with Anglo-Swedish firm AstraZeneca over ulcer drug Nexium, which would allow it to launch its generic version in the US by 2014.

Besides settling the patent litigation, Ranbaxy also entered into manufacturing agreement for AstraZeneca''s US supply of Nexium from 2010 and a distribution agreement with the Anglo-Swedish firm for hypertension drug Felodipine and acidity drug remedy Omeprazole. Nexium, the branded product of AstraZeneca, is the second largest selling drug in the US. The agreement settles the patent infringement litigation filed by AstraZeneca following Ranbaxy''s submission to the United States Food & Drug Administration of an Abbreviated New Drug Application for esomeprazole magnesium''s generic version.Under the agreement, Ranbaxy would start selling the generic version from May 27, 2014 under license from AstraZeneca and during the 180 day exclusive marketing period, it will distribute the only generic esomeprazole magnesium product in the US market.

Ranbaxy conceded that all six patents asserted by AstraZeneca in the patent litigation are valid and enforceable.However, Singh declined to comment on the revenues that Ranbaxy would achieve through these agreements.According to industry estimates, these deals would result in a revenue of about 1.5 billion dollars to Ranbaxy over the years.