Actavis Inc. said Friday a federal appeals court granted an injection that blocks it from selling a generic version of AstraZeneca PLC’s asthma treatment Pulmicort Respules.
The injunction was granted by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and it bars Actavis from selling its generic until the litigation with AstraZeneca is resolved.
Actavis launched its generic on April 1, after a U.S. District Court in New Jersey found that its version of the drug did not infringe on a patent held by London-based AstraZeneca. The next day, the court issued a temporary restraining order that stopped Actavis from selling the generic until AstraZeneca had a chance to seek relief in federal court.
Pulmicort Respules are inhaled corticosteroids intended to control and prevent asthma symptoms in children 1 to 8. Actavis said U.S. branded and generic sales of Pulmicort Respules totaled $1.2 billion over the 12 months ended Jan. 31.
Shares of Actavis, which is based in Parsippany, N.J., fell 85 cents to $127.23 Friday and lost 39 cents to $126.84 in aftermarket trading. AstraZeneca’s U.S.-traded shares rose 9 cents to $52.17 during the day and picked up another 2 cents to $52.19 aftermarket.
