PFIZER INC: Court Ruling

Spanish Court Rules in Pfizer's Favor on Lipitor Patent Challenge 
                                        
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          "Another Important Ruling in Favor of Medical Innovation" 
 
    NEW YORK, Dec. 21 -- Pfizer Inc announced today that a Spanish court is the 
latest judicial body to uphold the company's patents covering the active 
ingredient in Lipitor, the world's most-prescribed cholesterol-lowering 
medication.  
    Pfizer said the Court of First Instance in Madrid has ruled that the 
claims of Pfizer's patent covering atorvastatin are valid and enforceable.  
The company was defending a lawsuit brought by Ratiopharm Espana S.A. 
(Ratiopharm), which can appeal the decision.  The patent at issue in the 
lawsuit (EP 409,281) expires in July 2010 and is subject to other pending 
challenges in Spain.  Lipitor is sold in Spain under the brand names Zarator 
and Cardyl. 
    Pfizer Vice Chairman and General Counsel Jeffrey B. Kindler commented: 
"The Spanish court decision is important for Pfizer and other medical 
innovators who invest in high-risk research to develop life-saving medicines 
for millions of patients." 
    Pfizer also has won major Lipitor patent challenges recently over generic 
manufacturer Ranbaxy Ltd. both in the United States, on December 16, and in 
the United Kingdom on October 12. In addition, Pfizer received a favorable 
patent decision against Ranbaxy in Norway on November 9. Further, Pfizer 
received on December 16 a favorable ruling upholding the validity of its 
crystalline form atorvastatin patent in Peru where Ranbaxy has been enjoined 
from selling its product. 
    In another ruling this week, the Andean Court of Justice in Quito, Ecuador 
ruled that a challenge to the patentability of Pfizer's Venezuelan Lipitor 
patents covering the crystalline form of atorvastatin and a process for making 
atorvastatin were without foundation and dismissed the case. The Andean court 
decision protects Pfizer's Lipitor patents in Peru, Ecuador and Venezuela from 
any future challenges under Andean Pact law and is not appealable.  
 
SOURCE  Pfizer Inc  
    -0-                             12/21/2005 
    /CONTACT:  Bryant Haskins, [phone], for Pfizer Inc/ 
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    (PFE) 
 




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