GSK files patent suit against Glenmark
Gsk moves court against Gelenmark over Vilor F on 18th November 2021.
On 18th November 2021 in the Delhi High Court, British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) filed a patent infringement action against Glenmark Pharmaceuticals NSE -2.30 %, alleging that the latter’s Vilor F medicine infringes GSK’s Indian patent for vilanterol, an active ingredient. Glenmark’s product used for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has two active ingredients – fluticasone furoate, a corticosteroid, and vilanterol, a long acting Beta-2 agonist invented by GSK in 2001. GSK was granted a patent for vilanterol in India in 2007. The patent expires in September 2022.
Vilanterol is a long-acting beta 2 adrenaline agonist co-developed by Glaxo Smith Klein (GSK) and Theravance (now Innoviva) to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It is used in combination with other bronchodilators for.
A company spokesperson said, “GSK seeks to rely on the intellectual property laws to protect its inventions as it deems appropriate for each situation, at present this is the only known infringement of GSK’s patents covering vilanterol.”
In a proceeding filed in the High Court, GSK sought appropriate compensation claims under Indian patent law. Vilor F is used to prevent and alleviate the symptoms caused by other persistent lung diseases such as asthma and chronic bronchitis.