Morepen Laboratories has filed an international patent under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) for the manufacturing process of desloratadine, a drug meant for the treatment of allergies, cough and cold.
The company is also working towards filing the Drug Master File (DMF) for the drug in the US market. This will help it obtain US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) approval.
Morepen has also launched the generic version of the drug in the domestic market and is marketing it under the brand name DesNova.
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Morepen has developed an efficient process to manufacture desloratadine from loratadine and the PCT application has been filed for that, a release issued by the company said.
The global market for desloratadine is estimated at $500 million and is growing rapidly. The international patent for the drug is held by Schering Plough, which is marketing it in the US under the brand name Clarinex. The patent for the drug in the US is slated to expire in April 2004.
Sushil Suri, chairman and managing director, Morepen Laboratories, said: