Debiopharm International SA Has Won Its Patent Infringement Suit for Elplat(R) Against Nippon Kayaku Co., Ltd.

          The Court ruled that the sale of the generic version of the cancer drug by Nippon Kayaku Co., Ltd. (Nippon Kayaku) infringed Debiopharm's Japanese patent.

          Debiopharm filed a patent infringement law suit with the Tokyo District Court on May 8th, 2015 against Nippon Kayaku, the distributor of the generic version of Elplat(R) treatment. In accordance with this judgement, a provisional disposition order was issued for the company to suspend the distribution of products. Twelve other pending infringement actions were also filed by Debiopharm against all the generics companies that started to commercialize their generic version of Elplat(R) in 2015.

          About Elplat(R) 
          Elplat(R) is an anticancer platinum drug, for which Yakult Honsha, Co., Ltd. acquired development and commercialization rights in Japan from its licensor Debiopharm International SA (Switzerland) in 1997. Elplat(R) was approved for the indication for the treatment of "curatively unresectable advanced/recurrent colorectal cancer" in March 2005, and launched on the market in April of the same year. In August 2009, Elplat(R) became indicated for "postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for colon cancer". An additional dosage and administration for "curatively unresectable advanced/recurrent colorectal cancer" was approved in September 2009, and an additional dosage and administration for "postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for colon cancer" was approved in November 2011. Subsequently, Elplat(R) was approved for the indication for the treatment of "curatively unresectable pancreatic carcinoma" in December 2013. And furthermore, Elplat(R) was approved for the indication for "unresectable advanced or recurrent gastric cancer" in March 2015 and then "gastric cancer" in November 2015, integrating "unresectable advanced or recurrent gastric cancer" and "postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for gastric cancer".

          About Debiopharm International SA 
          Debiopharm Group(TM) is a Swiss-based global biopharmaceutical group of four companies active in drug development, GMP manufacturing of proprietary drugs, diagnostics, and investment management. Debiopharm International SA is focused on the development of prescription drugs that target unmet medical needs. The company in-licenses and develops promising drug candidates. The products are commercialized by pharmaceutical out-licensing partners to give access to the largest number of patients worldwide.

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          Source: Debiopharm Group