Lasco, Medimpex lose appeal to get court awards against Pfizer increased
Published:Friday | November 11, 2022 | 6:55 PM
The Court of Appeal today dismissed the appeals brought by pharmaceutical companies Lasco Distributors Limited and Medimpex Jamaica Limited to significantly increase a Supreme Court award against American multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation Pfizer Limited.
Lasco was awarded $273,300,000 and Medimpex was awarded $170,800,000, both with interest, in 2017.
Pfizer had obtained an injunction in 2005 barring the two companies and NFM Pharmaceuticals from selling their respective generic versions of the prescription drug amlodipine, which is used to treat hypertension.
Pfizer claimed it had a patent right to the drug.
The Supreme Court later ruled that Pfizer's claim was invalid and ordered it to honour the undertaking it had given when the injunction was granted.
READ: Lasco, Medimpex win special damages against Pfizer
Damages were assessed by Justice Vivienne Harris, who is now a Court of Appeal judge.
Lasco Distributors and Medimpex appealed on the grounds that the awards and interest should be increased.
However, the Court of Appeal, in its written judgment, found that there was no error in the judge's ruling.
Costs were awarded to Pfizer to be agreed or taxed.
- Barbara Gayle
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