INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Eli Lilly & Co. said Wednesday evening that a federal judge upheld some of the patents supporting its osteoporosis drug Evista. The court sided with Eli Lilly and against a challenge from Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., which is hoping to launch a generic version of Evista, the company said. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana ruled in Eli Lilly’s favor on patents covering the method of Evista’s use, the company said. The patents last until March 2014. Eli Lilly said the court voided patents on the size of the particles of the drug. The company may appeal that ruling. Evista, or raloxifene, is one of Eli Lilly’s best-selling drugs, with total revenue of $1.08 billion in 2008.
