Patent watch: Indian Supreme Court blocks Novartis' Glivec patent

摘要

The Supreme Court of India has denied a patent on the anticancer drug Glivec (imatinib mesylate; also known as Gleevec) because Novartis could not show that the specific crystalline form of imatinib it was trying to patent had increased therapeutic efficacy compared to other known forms of imatinib. Although the decision is a blow for Novartis - and possibly other companies seeking patents in India - the Courts opinion does shed some light on which parameters drugs need to pass to be patented in this country.