Barr wins in SDNY

Barr Pharmaceuticals, looking to manufacture a generic version of the antidiuretic replacement therapy drug DDAVP (desmopressin acetate), has won at the district court level after being sued by Ferring and Aventis. The Ferring/Aventis patents were judged unenforceable and uninfringed.

DDAVP tablets had annual sales of $177 million last year. They are indicated as antidiuretic replacement therapy in the management of central diabetes insipidus - a disorder of the pituitary gland characterized by intense thirst and by the excretion of large amounts of urine - and for the management of the temporary excessive urination and thirst following head trauma or surgery in the pituitary region. They are also indicated for the management of primary nocturnal enuresis, or bed-wetting.