Alcon to block Mylan's bid for generic glaucoma med

Ft. Worth, TX-Alcon Research Ltd. has filed suit against Mylan Inc. to stop the pharmaceutical company from launching a generic form of Alcon’s Travatan Z.

The complaint states Mylan has sought FDA approval for its new drug application for eye drops containing the active ingredient travoprost-a product almost identical to Travatan Z-before the patents had expired.

Alcon says it was notified by Mylan in June that the generic-drug manufacturer had filed an application for FDA approval of an ophthalmic solution that contained “the same or equivalent ingredients in the same or equivalent amounts” as Travatan Z.

The patents covering the drug are less than 1 year old. Two patents were issued in September and December 2012, and the third was just approved in March, according to the suit.