AIDA PREVAILS IN CHINESE PATENT LAWSUIT

Aida Pharmaceuticals has won a patent infringement lawsuit against four Chinese drug companies over their copies of Aida's antibiotic etimicin sulfate.

The ruling, handed down by the Intermediate Court of Hainan, and demands that the four companies terminate all manufacturing, marketing and promotional activities for etimicin sulfate. Additionally, the companies must destroy all remaining products in stock and all marketing material in circulation. The court also ordered the companies to issue a statement of apology to Hainan Aike Pharmaceutical, one of Aida's subsidiaries, and pay $77,180.

Aida filed the legal action against four drug suppliers at the end of 2005. Early last year the defendants applied with the State Intellectual Property Office to invalidate the patent for etimicin sulfate, which grants Hainan Aike exclusive production rights for the powder and transfusion forms the drug. The office rejected the defendants' claims and reconfirmed the validity of the patent through 2013.

"With approximately 80 percent of our current revenues derived from etimicin, it is a very favorable judgment," Jin Biao, chairman and CEO of Aida, said. "These collective developments should also support Aida's previously announced goal of growing etimicin sales by 25 percent per year on average for the next several years."