Pfizer, Spanning the Globe to Defend Lipitor Patents

Emerging markets may be essential to the growth of the global drug industry, but that doesn’t mean growth comes easily in the developing world. It’s become pretty common for countries to fight with drug makers over prices. And patent disputes can crop up anywhere, as generic manufacturers look to get in on the action.

Pfizer has faced both problems in the Philippines this year. The government put price controls on several branded, including Pfizer’s Norvasc and Lipitor, a few months back.

Now, the Financial Times notes, Pfizer is in court there trying to bar the sale of generic Lipitor by United Laboratories, a local drug company. United Laboratories argues that the relevant patent has already expired; Pfizer argues that more recent patents still protect the drug from generic competition.

Under a deal Pfizer reached last year with Indian generics manufacturer Ranbaxy, Lipitor is expected to face generic competition in late 2011.

Map detail via CIA World Factbook

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