Sun Pharma gets partial relief from US court in litigation on generic drugs

Drug major Sun Pharma on Monday said it has received a partial relief from a US court in a litigation alleging delay by the company in launching three generic drugs in the American market.

The Mumbai-based company is a defendant in a multi-district litigation brought by various classes of plaintiffs in the US District Court (District of Massachusetts), alleging a delay in the market entry for three generic drugs -- Valganciclovir, Valsartan and Esomeprazole.

The complaints assert claims under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, federal and state antitrust laws, and state consumer protection laws, Sun Pharma said in a regulatory filing.

"On November 27, 2019, the US District Court (District of Massachusetts) entered a decision denying in part and granting in part Sun Pharma's motion to dismiss the claims of certain plaintiffs," it said.

"Under the ruling the majority of those plaintiff's claims survive and several state law claims are dismissed," it added.

The company said it would continue to vigorously defend against all claims and is also considering its appeal options as to the claims that were not dismissed in the above court decision.

Shares of the company on Monday ended 2.18 per cent lower at Rs 440 apiece on the BSE.