INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Eli Lilly and
Company (NYSE:
LLY) today announced that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the
Federal Circuit has affirmed a prior ruling by the U.S. District
Court for the Southern District of Indiana that the company’s
method-of-use patents for Evista® (raloxifene HCl tablets) are
valid. These patents provide protection for Evista in the U.S.
through March of 2014.
“We are pleased with today’s ruling from the Court of Appeals
regarding Evista’s method-of-use patents and believe that the Court
fairly applied long-standing patent law principles,” said Robert A.
Armitage, senior vice president and general counsel for Lilly.
“We remain confident that Evista’s method-of-use patents are
valid, a conclusion reached by both the District Court and now the
Court of Appeals. Protection of intellectual property rights is
extremely important to the biopharmaceutical industry and the
patients we serve. We will continue to vigorously defend our
rights, in order to support the development of the next generation
of innovative medicines.”
The Court of Appeals also affirmed a prior District Court ruling
that held Evista’s particle-size patents invalid. The company will
review its legal options regarding this aspect of the ruling.
Lilly, a leading innovation-driven corporation, is developing a
growing portfolio of pharmaceutical products by applying the latest
research from its own worldwide laboratories and from
collaborations with eminent scientific organizations. Headquartered
in Indianapolis, Ind., Lilly provides answers – through
medicines and information – for some of the world’s most
urgent medical needs. Additional information about Lilly is
available at www.lilly.com. C-LLY
This release contains forward-looking statements regarding the
U.S. Evista pate
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