Lilly to sue four drug makers

Lilly has said it is to sue four generic drug makers in order to protect patents covering its antidepressant Cymbalta.

The lawsuits against Cobalt Laboratories, Impax Laboratories, Sandoz and Wockhardt in federal court, following the companies filing of abbreviated new drug applications.

The requests would be to make and sell the capsules before Lilly’s patent expires in 2013.

Launched in 2004 – and also known as duloxetine hydrochloride capsules – Cymbalta’s patent expires the same year as two of the company’s other products, Gemzar and Humalog.

In other news, Lilly has contributed $11.1 million (7.41 million pounds) to the United Way Annual Campaign.

Funded by contributions by Lilly employees and retirees in the US, the donation was matched by a gift from the company’s foundation.

The contribution accounts for almost 23 per cent of the United Way of Central Indiana’s 2008 annual campaign aim.

President and chief executive officer of the company John Lechleiter said: “We’re very proud of the dollar commitment we’re making today.”

He added: “We’re even more proud of the thousands of Lilly employees who support United Way agencies and services in their local communities.”

Based in Indianapolis, US, the company has approximately 40,217 employees worldwide.