Eli Lilly keeps Alimta patent in Japan for now, new challenges on the way

Japan IP High Court confirmed validity of Eli Lilly’s Alimta vitamin regimen patents, and has invalidated trials initiated by Sawai regarding Lilly’s vitamin regimen patents for Alimta.

In the fourth quarter of 2015, the Japan Patent Office issued written decisions upholding the validity of the Alimta vitamin regimen patents.

Michael J. Harrington, senior vice president and general counsel for Lilly, said said that the protection of intellectual property is important to the biopharmaceutical industry as it assures market exclusivity, which supports the development of innovative medicines.

If Lilly keeps the patent rights all the way to the end, it could provide intellectual property protection for Alimta in Japan until June 2021. Lilly said that it will defend and enforce the patents by all the necessary means.