Inverness v. Pfizer
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
Pfizer will seek an expedited appeal, stay of a March 7 preliminary injunction against sale of its e.p.t. home pregnancy test kit. New Jersey district court granted injunction "based on a finding that Pfizer's e.p.t. pregnancy test kits likely infringe two patents owned" by Inverness, the Waltham, Mass.-based firm says. In December, Inverness obtained a preliminary injunction against e.p.t. tests manufactured for Pfizer by Apogent subsidiary API (1"The Tan Sheet" Jan. 6, 2003, In Brief). Pfizer replaced API tests with version manufactured by Mizuho Medy subsidiary Mizuho USA in September; Inverness maintains new tests still infringe its patents, though Pfizer says it "continues to believe there is no patent infringement." Injunction does not affect availability of e.p.t. tests already in stores, Pfizer notes...