Lupin Seetled Dispute over Lunesta Tablets

Drug firm Lupin declared on 3 January 2011 that it settled ongoing litigation over Lunesta tablets with Japan-based Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma. Lupin and its US subsidiary Lupin Pharmaceuticals Inc settled all ongoing litigations over Lunesta tablets used in treating insomnia thereby dismissing a patent suit brought by the drug's maker,Dainippon Sumitomo's subsidiary Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. The settlement entitles Mumbai headquartered company to sell its generic version of Lunesta under a license as soon as 30 November 2013 (two and a half months prior to the expiry of the US patent). According to IMS MAT September 2010 data, Lunesta sales stood at $787 million in the 12 months ended September 2010.Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma (DSP) is a multi-billion dollar listed pharmaceutical company in Japan with a diverse portfolio of pharmaceutical, animal health and food and specialty products.