Court blocks Actavis asthma generic

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — A federal court has blocked Actavis from distributing its generic version of a drug for treating asthma, the company said.

Actavis said the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit had issued an injunction against Actavis' distribution of budesonide inhalation suspension at the request of AstraZeneca, which sells the drug under the trade name Pulmicort Respules.

Actavis launched its version of the drug in the beginning of April following a ruling by the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey that it did not infringe two of AstraZeneca's patents on the drug. The latest court decision overturns the lower court's ruling.

Pulmicort Respules is used to control and prevent asthma symptoms in children ages 1 through 8. The drug had sales of about $1.2 billion during the 12-month period that ended in January.