Patent Round-Up: Sanofi Settles Eloxatin Suits; Lilly Continues Gemzar Fight

Sanofi-Aventis reduces Eloxatin competition: Sanofi-Aventis settled Eloxatin (oxaliplatin) patent infringement suits against Teva, Sandoz and Fresenius Kabi. Under the terms of the settlement the companies will stop selling their generic versions of the colon cancer drug on June 30 and resume marketing under a license on Aug. 9, 2012. The other terms of the settlement are confidential. Eloxatin's compound patent has expired but other patents cover the drug through 2016. As a result of generic competition, Sanofi's U.S. sales of Eloxatin fell from $1.4 billion in 2008 to $930 million in 2009. Hospira, Sun and Sun's U.S. subsidiary Caraco also market generic versions of Eloxatin. Sanofi has pending suits against MN Pharmaceuticals, Mayne Pharma and Actavis