Barr Challenges Aventis’ Nasacort Patents
This article was originally published in The Pink Sheet Daily
Executive Summary
Aventis filed suit in Delaware federal court to block Barr from proceeding with a generic of the nasal allergy spray.
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Barr Laboratories will challenge Aventis' patents covering nasal allergy spray Nasacort AQ (triamcinolone acetonide), Barr announced May 4. Barr filed an ANDA with a paragraph IV certification for Nasacort AQ in December. The company maintains it is the first to file. After FDA accepted the ANDA in March 2006, Barr notified Aventis. On May 2, Aventis filed suit in Delaware federal court to block Barr from proceeding with its generic Nasacort. FDA's "Orange Book" lists two patents for Nasacort AQ, both of which expire in July 2016. The patents, originally assigned to Rorer Pharmaceutical Products, both cover an "aqueous pharmaceutical composition which is capable of being sprayed into the nasal cavity of an individual." Barr's development partner Perrigo is also named as a party to the case. Nasacort AQ had sales of $346 mil. for the year ended March 31, 2006, Barr said. -Jonathan Block |