Mumbai: Sun Pharmaceutical Industries said on Wednesday it has started selling cheaper version of Wyeth’s heartburn medicine Protonix in the US.

Wyeth had taken Sun to court, seeking injunction on the launch of this drug. The Mumbai-based drugmaker launched the drug at risk as the case is still pending in the court.

Sun shares the marketing exclusivity in the US with Israel’s Teva Pharmaceutical Industries. The period of exclusivity commences when any of the companies with rights to exclusively market the medicine starts selling it.

The exclusivity for delayed-release pantoprazole tablets, or generic Protonix, started on December 22 last year, when Teva had commercially launched the drug in the US. Sun launched the drug over a month later as it was evaluating risk and rewards.

But the company started selling the drug as Wyeth authorised another company — Prasco Laboratories — to sell cheaper version of the heartburn medicine in the US on Monday. This move by the innovator lowers the risk for Sun in the litigation case.

An industry expert said: “If Sun loses the case, Wyeth will demand compensation for drop in sales. But Sun can argue against it as the innovator came with a cheaper version.”

A Sun official said, “It is difficult to guess whether the risk reduces on Wyeth’s launch of authorised generic.”

The company also refused to give any earning estimate. A poll of five analysts that estimates Sun’s revenues in the six months exclusivity period suggests that it can earn between $90 million and $280 million.

The analysts predicted profits between $40 million and $84 million. Angel Broking estimates the revenues of about $280 million and profits at $84 million.

Meanwhile, the company said its third-quarter profit rose 60%. Net income rose to Rs318 crore in the three months ended December 31.

 

Source : Dna