Cipla settles blood cancer drug litigation with Bristol Myers in US

As it takes away the legal overhang, Cipla can launch the drug once its ANDA is approved

Mumbai-based Cipla on Friday said that the settlement of its patent litigation with a Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) subsidiary on Revilimid or a drug for blood cancer. 

Calgene, a wholly-owned subsidiary of BMS, has agreed to provide Cipla with a license to Calgene's patents required to manufacture and sell certain limited volumes of generic lenalidomide (a drug sold under the name Revilimid that treats myeloma, a cancer that forms in the blood plasma cell), in the US. 

Kedar Upadhye, Global Chief  financial officer of Cipla, told Business Standard that this was a major boost to their US business as it