Hyderabad based Natco Pharmaceuticals
may lose its license to manufacture a low cost version of the cancer drug
Nexavar for India, originally developed by Bayer AG, a German pharmaceutical
major, if, the Intellectual Property Appellate Board
(IPAB), gives a decision in favour of Bayer Corp. Bayer Corp had earlier filed an appeal with
the IPAB against Natco Pharma and Indian Patent Office against an order of
Patent controller granting compulsory license on its cancer curing drug Nexavar.
Contributed by: Abhishek Kukreti
IPAB on Tuesday concluded its
hearing on the appeal this Tuesday and has reserved its order for a further
date.
Compulsory license, first of its kind, was
awarded to Natco Pharmaceuticals in February, by the Patent Controller, P H
Kurian, for manufacturing a
low cost version of cancer drug, Nexavar.
Natco’s counsel argued that the
compulsory license should not be stayed, as it would be against public interest
and be detrimental to the 30,000 cancer patients, in India, who are dependent
on this drug. Further the counsel argued that Bayer had not fully exploited the
drug to its full potential.
It would be interesting to see whether
Bayer’s capitalist motives win or the cancer patients in India, win.
Contributed by: Abhishek Kukreti
No comments:
Post a Comment