Pfizer prevails in Viagra Patent Trial

Earlier today, the world’s largest drugmaker Pfizer declared that it triumphed in the lawsuit against generic drugmaker Teva Pharmaceuticals USA for patent infringement of the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra, as the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia ruled in favor of Pfizer.

Amy Schulman, executive vice president and general counsel for Pfizer said, “We are pleased that the court recognized the validity and enforceability of our Viagra patent for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Protecting the intellectual property rights of our innovative core is critical, and Friday’s court decision acknowledges Teva’s clear violation of our patent rights.”

Although the court’s decision is subject to appeal, it has ruled that Teva will not receive marketing approval for a generic form of Viagra until October 2019. Even though the same patent lawsuits are pending against other generic companies, no trials are planned in those cases.

In Monday morning trading, Pfizer’s shares hiked 35 cents, or 2 percent, to $18.21 .