Claritin patent litigation
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
Consolidated pretrial proceedings in Newark, N.J. federal court indefinitely delayed due to Judge Joseph Greenaway's decision to recuse himself. Greenaway formerly worked for J&J's law department, and any judicial ruling on the validity, enforceability of Schering-Plough's patents for loratadine, desloratadine could affect S-P's infringement lawsuit against J&J division McNeil, which is seeking FDA approval to market OTC loratadine (1"The Tan Sheet" Feb. 4, 2002, p. 3). Separately, Zenith Goldline, now known as Ivax Pharmaceuticals, has agreed to withdraw its ANDA for loratadine 10 mg tablets, according to an April 18 stipulated order. Schering remains a plaintiff in more than a half dozen patent lawsuits in an attempt to fend off generic competition to its Claritin franchise...