This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/business/6933015.stm
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| India rejects Novartis challenge | India rejects Novartis challenge |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| An Indian court has thwarted efforts by Swiss pharmaceuticals firm Novartis to obtain a new patent for a variation of the same drug. | An Indian court has thwarted efforts by Swiss pharmaceuticals firm Novartis to obtain a new patent for a variation of the same drug. |
| The firm's bid to patent anti-cancer drugs Glivec was rejected because it is a new form of an existing substance. | The firm's bid to patent anti-cancer drugs Glivec was rejected because it is a new form of an existing substance. |
| Novartis said the decision by a Chennai court was "unconstitutional" and broke international laws. But it also said it was unlikely to make an appeal. | Novartis said the decision by a Chennai court was "unconstitutional" and broke international laws. But it also said it was unlikely to make an appeal. |
| India fears that too many patents may threaten availability of cheap drugs. | India fears that too many patents may threaten availability of cheap drugs. |
| The country has developed a range of generic drugs, affordable by the country's poor. If Novartis were to patent more drugs there are fears by advocacy groups that poorer people would not have access to such drugs, and would be priced out of the market. | |
| The Swiss firm said that the ruling, which threw out its appeal, would have long-term negative effects on research into new drugs. | The Swiss firm said that the ruling, which threw out its appeal, would have long-term negative effects on research into new drugs. |