Here is IP Think Tank’s weekly selection of top Pharma & Biotech intellectual property news breaking in the blogosphere and internet.

Please join the discussion by adding your comments on any of these stories, and please do let us know if you think we’ve missed something important, or if there is a source you think should be monitored.

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Highlights this week included:

Oxytrol (Oxybutynin) – US: Watson files patent infringement lawsuit against Barr over application to market generic Oxytrol; Barr challenges Oxytrol patent (Law360) (GenericsWeb) (SmartBrief)

Boniva (Ibandronic acid) – US: Hoffman-La Roche sues Orchid Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals over newest Boniva patent (Spicy IP), (Law360)

 

General

Professor Thomas Pogge’s proposal for a Health Impact Fund (Patently-O)

The financial crisis: implications for life sciences companies (part 2) (Pharmacapsules @ Gowlings)

Botswana and South Africa to benefit from pharma grant from Gates Foundation (Afro-IP)

Canada: University of manitoba licenses gene discovery linked to increase in crop yeilds to BASF Plant Science (Technology Transfer Tactics)

EU: Further delays for European Commission’s proposed pharmaceutical legislation (Pharmacapsules @ Gowlings)

Peru commits to Budapest Treaty (IP tango)

UK: Advances in stem cell research law (Pharmacapsules @ Gowlings)

US: Paragraph IV patent challenges – Pharma Matters looks at trends and statistics (Philip Brooks’ Patent Infringement Updates)

US: Slower growth forecast for US drug market in 2009 (Law360)

 

Products

Boniva (Ibandronic acid) – US: Hoffman-La Roche sues Orchid Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals over newest Boniva patent (Spicy IP), (Law360)

Cipro (Ciprofloxacin) – US: CAFC finds no antitrust liability for Hatch-Waxman reverse payment settlements: In Re Ciproflaxacin Hydrochloride Antitrust Litigation (Law360)

Cosopt (Dorzolamide hydrochloride, Timolol maleate) – US: FDA rules that Hi-Tech forfeited 180-day exclusivity under reasoning similar to Agency’s Acarbose decision; changes called for in FDA exclusivity decision-making (FDA Law Blog)

Fosamax (Alendronate) – Canada: Federal Court holds Apotex not entitled to claim Merck’s profits in Courts’ first decision on section 8 Patented Medicines (Notice of Compliance) Regulations (Pharmacapsules @ Gowlings)

Lescol (Fluvastatin) – US: Mylan confirms first-to-file patent challenge to Lescol by Novartis (Philip Brooks’ Patent Infringement Updates), (Patent Circle)

Levaquin (Levofloxacin) – US: Levofloxacin SPC valid – a commercial footnote: Generics (UK) Ltd v Daiichi Pharmaceutical Co Ltd & Anor (The SPC blog)

Lotrel (Amlodipine/benazepril) – US: Trial bifurcation warranted in Novartis’ patent infringement suit against Teva over generic Lotrel ANDA (Law360)

Orencia (Abatacept) – US: Bristol-Myers Squibb agrees to pay $21 million to ZymoGenetics to settle Orencia patent lawsuit (Washington State Patent Law Blog) (Law360)

Oxytrol (Oxybutynin ) – US: Watson files patent infringement lawsuit against Barr over application to market generic Oxytrol; Barr challenges Oxytrol patent (Law360) (GenericsWeb) (SmartBrief)

Prazol (Omeprazole) – EU: Court of First Instance hands down in decision in Aventis Pharma SA v Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market, Nycomed GmbH, an appeal involving a Community trade mark opposition to PRAZOL (Managing Intellectual Property)

ReFacto / Xyntha (Antihemophilic Factor Recombinant) – US: Novartis files amended complaint against Wyeth in patent infringement suit over ReFacto and Xyntha (Law360)

Risperdal (Risperidone) – US: Zydus Cadila files antitrust lawsuit against Teva over Risperidone (Law360) (GenericsWeb)

Rituxan (Rituximab) – US: Sanofi-Aventis sues Genentech and Biogen over two patents relating to Rituxan and other drugs (Law360)

Seroquel (Quetiapine) – US: AstraZeneca sues Handa again over generic Seroquel (Law360)

Vfend (Voriconazole) – US: Matrix challenges Pzifer’s Vfend patent (GenericsWeb)