Generics firms lobby vs frivolous patents.

Byline: Abigail L. Ho

THE PHILIPPINE CHAMBER OF Pharmaceutical Industries Inc., an organization of more than 100 local generic drug manufacturers, sees the courts refusal to grant Pfizer Inc. an injunction against United Laboratories Inc. as a major victory for Filipino patients.

Pfizer late last year sought an injunction from the Makati Regional Trial Court to stop Unilab from selling its version of Atorvastatin Calcium under the brand Avamax, allegedly because the multinational firms patent for the drug would not lapse until 2012. The court had denied this request.

PCPI believes that such ruling is a major victory for the Filipino patient and the Cheaper …