Dr. Reddy's, Pfizer settle over Lipitor

NEW YORK — Pfizer and Dr. Reddy's have reached a settlement over the latter's efforts to launch a generic version of the world's top-selling drug, according to published reports.

Bloomberg reported that the companies settled a patent-infringement lawsuit concerning Lipitor (atorvastatin) before the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. Used to treat high cholesterol, Lipitor has annual sales of more than $7 billion in the United States. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed. Pfizer also has reached settlements with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and Mylan over their efforts to sell generic versions of Lipitor.

Ranbaxy has long planned to become the first to market a generic version of Lipitor, which it was planning to launch by the end of November. But manufacturing problems that the Food and Drug Administration uncovered at its plants in India could delay the launch and, according to an analyst quoted by Bloomberg, force it to sell its rights to the drug.