Finance & Business World

Drug developer Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc. said Wednesday it has filed a lawsuit against branded and generic drug maker Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc. for infringement of its patent on birth-control pill Seasonique.

Barr received the patent for the extended-cycle oral contraceptive on Jan. 22 and subsequently submitted the patent to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for inclusion in the Orange Book, a listing of patents.

On the same day, Watson notified the company that it had filed an abbreviated new drug application that included a paragraph IV certification with the FDA to make a generic version of Seasonique.

Barr has filed the lawsuit to enforce the patent and prevent Watson from marketing a competing product before the patent’s expiration in January 2024, the company said http://payday-faxless.com. Barr also has new-product regulatory exclusivity for Seasonique until 2009.

Barr (BRL) shares tumbled 4.4% on the New York Stock Exchange Wednesday. Shares have traded between $45.41 and $58.38 in the past 12 months. Watson (WPI) shares gained 1.6%. 

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