Federal Court Places Temporary Sales Ban on Dr. Reddy’s Generic Nexium

A federal court has placed a temporary sales ban on Indian drugmaker Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories’ generic form of heartburn drug Nexium in the U.S.

The U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware imposed the temporary restraining order “with immediate effect on sales, delivery, transfer, or other disposition” of the company’s esomeprazole product in the U.S. market.

The motion for the restraining order was made by AstraZeneca ― the manufacturer of Nexium (esomeprazole magnesium) ― which objected to Dr. Reddy’s use of the color purple in its copycat version.

The court pointed out that AZ has used the color purple for its gastrointestinal products since 1989. In addition, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office validated the brand status of the drugs by awarding the drugmaker three federal trademark registrations covering the color purple.

Dr. Reddy’s says it is complying with the order and evaluating all possible options to resolve the matter.