Lilly Reaches Settlement on Cialis Patent
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowIndianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Co. (NYSE: LLY) says it has reached a settlement agreement with generic drug companies regarding the unit dose patent for Cialis. Under the terms of the agreement, Lilly’s patent, which had been set to expire in April 2020, will now expire at the earliest in September 2018.
The settlement was reached in an effort to resolve litigation in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District for Virginia.
"The unit dose patent for Cialis is valid and infringed by companies seeking to market a generic version of Cialis. This is a royalty-bearing license agreement that provides us with more certainty regarding our U.S. exclusivity," said Michael Harrington, senior vice president and general counsel for Lilly. "Protection of intellectual property and the assurance of market exclusivity are extremely important to Lilly as we work to support the development of the next generation of innovative medicines."
Additionally, Lilly says its patent for Adcirca, which is used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension, is expected to expire on November 21 of this year or May 21, 2018, if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration grants the company’s application for pediatric exclusivity.