Pfizer loses Lyrica patent infringement case

摘要

Pfizer has lost its patent infringement case against generic drug manufacturers Actavis and Mylan over the use of pregabalin, marketed as Lyrica. The High Court ruling on 10 September 2015 means that doctors can continue to prescribe the drug generically and pharmacists can dispense generic pregabalin without fear of patent infringement litigation. Pfizer developed Lyrica for the treatment of generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) and epilepsy but the patent for this indication expired in 2013. When Pfizer discovered that pregabalin could relieve pain, it took out a second-medical use patent for Lyrica to cover this use. When the first patent expired, Actavis and Mylan launched generic versions of the drug to treat GAD and epilepsy.