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| 19 December 2006 | 2006-12-19T07:00:00.0000000-00:00 |
| EPO Announces European Nexium® Substance Patent Decision
AstraZeneca today announced that the European Patent Office (EPO) has ruled that one of the European substance patents for Nexium® (EP 0652872) will be rejected, following an appeal from the German generic manufacturer Ratiopharm. The original patent expiry for this patent was 2014. | While disappointed with the EPO decision, AstraZeneca has confidence in the intellectual property portfolio protecting Nexium®. This portfolio includes process, method of use and additional substance patents with expiration dates ranging from 2009 through to 2019. In addition to these patents Nexium has data exclusivity valid to 2010 in major European markets.
Process patent (EP 0773940) is under opposition with the EPO and an Opposition Division oral hearing is scheduled for 7th March 2007.
AstraZeneca will defend and enforce its intellectual property rights protecting Nexium.
Worldwide sales reached $4.6 billion in 2005. Europe accounted for $1.1 billion.
Media Enquiries:
Steve Brown, +44 207 304 5033
Edel McCaffrey, +44 207 304 5034
Investor Enquiries:
Jonathan Hunt, +44 207 304 5087
Mina Blair, +44 20 7304 5084
Ed Seage, +1 302 886 4065
Jorgen Winroth, +1 212 579 0506
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