Genzyme settles litigation with Impax; grants licenses to generic Renagel/Renvela

Sanofi’s Genzyme Corp. has settled a patent infringement lawsuit it had filed against branded and generics drug company Impax Laboratories Inc. in March 2009. Under terms of the agreement, Genzyme has granted Impax a license to sell its generic form of Renvela (sevelamer carbonate 800mg tablets) on March 16, 2014, or earlier under certain circumstances. It also granted Impax licenses to sell the generic oral suspension version of Renvela, and Renagel (sevelamer HCl 400mg and 800mg tablets) on September 16, 2014, or earlier. Both therapies are used to control serum phosphorous in patients with chronic kidney disease on dialysis, and together brought in $392mm in sales during the first half of 2012. Impax’s generics division Global Pharmaceuticals Corp. will market the products upon launch.