Protonix的專利侵權案，US22億元和解

本案是件拖了很久的訴訟案，甚至連原告都因為被併購而換人，終於宣判定讞了！話說
BYK於1988.7.19.獲得系爭專利，並於2002.8.7.將專利賣給Altana，而Altana又在2008.1.4.將專利賣給NYCOMED。

本案的緣起就在於2004年的專利權人Altana Pharma控告Teva Pharmaceutical，在其專利到期前，即銷售治療胃灼熱的Protonix的仿制藥。

而在訴訟的這段時間中，Altana又將專利授權給Wyeth，Teva和Sun在2007年大量推出Protonix的仿制藥，但Wyeth要求法院發出禁制令的請求又被駁回，以致2008年Protonix藥的銷售額銳減80%至US3.95億元，在裁員後仍然無法止血，於2009年被Pfizer收購，同時接手了Protonix藥物和相關訴訟。而原專利權人Altana則被武田藥品工業(Takeda Pharmaceutical Co.)收購，成為其子公司。

本案的和解金，由Teva Pharmaceutical支付US16億元、Sun Pharmaceutical支付US5.5億元，合計US21.5億元，其中Pfizer獲得64%、Takeda獲得36%。

US4,758,579
Title : Fluoroalkoxy substituted benzimidazoles useful as gastric acid secretion inhibitors
Filing Date : 1987.4.28.
Issue Date : 1988.6.19.
Abstract :
Dialkoxypyridines of formula I (I) wherein R1 is 1-3C-alkyl which is completely or predominantly substituted by fluorine, or a chlorodifluoromethyl radical and R1\' is hydrogen, halo, trifluoromethyl, 1-3C-alkyl, or 1-3C-alkoxy which is optionally completely or predominantly substituted by fluorine, or R1 and R1\', together with the oxygen atom to which R1 is bonded, are 1-2C-alkylenedioxy, which is optionally completely or partly substituted by fluorine, or chlorotrifluoroethylenedioxy, R3 is 1-3C-alkoxy, one of R2 and R4 is 1-3C-alkoxy and the other is a hydrogen atom or 1-3C-alkyl and n is 0 or 1, and salts thereof are new compounds with a pronounced protective action on the stomach. Processes for preparing these compounds, medicaments containing them and their use, as well as intermediate compounds and their use for preparing the subject dialkoxypyridines, are disclosed.