U. S. APP EALS COURT OKS GLAXO US $235.5M VERDICT AGAINST TEVA

A federal appeals court on Friday reinstated a 2017 jury verdict ordering Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. to pay Glaxosmithkline PLC US$ 235.5 million for selling a generic version of Glaxo’s heart drug Coreg. In a 2-1 decision, the U.S. Federal Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., found “substantial evidence” that Teva induced doctors to prescribe its generic tablets to treat medical conditions covered by a Glaxo patent. Teva said it was “disappointed with the outcome,” plans to appeal it neither infringed nor induced doctors to infringe Glaxo’s patent. Glaxo said it was pleased with the decision. Glaxo had won U.S. approval to market Coreg, whose chemical name is carvedilol, to treat hypertension, left ventricular dysfunction and congestive heart failure.