WASHINGTON, June 21 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on
Monday rejected a bid by an Amarin Corp PLC subsidiary
to revive patents on its heart drug Vascepa in a legal battle
against generic drugmakers Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC and
Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd.
The justices declined to hear Dublin-based Amarin Pharma's
appeal of a lower court ruling that affirmed that the patents
were invalid following a challenge by Hikma and Dr. Reddy's. The
lower court found that the patents were invalid as "obvious"
based on "prior art," which means that earlier publications had
already disclosed their innovations.
A federal judge's decision last year to invalidate the
patents cost Amarin Corp nearly 70% of its stock price.
(Reporting by Blake Brittain; Editing by Will Dunham)
Hikma Pharmaceuticals (HIK)
