AstraZeneca pushes for summary judgement on patent protection in Seroquel case

NEW YORK A rivalry between AstraZeneca and Teva Pharmaceuticals has erupted due to AstraZeneca’s attempt to protect its market share of Seroquel XP, a once-daily antipsychotic drug.

Teva is challenging the patents on Seroquel, as a generic’s entry into the U.S. would be less expensive than AstraZeneca’s version of the drug, the Wall Street Journal reported. Teva is expecting its version of the drug to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration around the end of March, after waiting for 30-months for its legal stay of approval to be lifted.