Eisai granted favourable ruling in Aricept lawsuit

TOKYO, March 29 (Reuters) - Eisai Co (4523.T: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Saturday it had been granted a favourable preliminary injunction ruling by a U.S. district court in its Aricept patent infringement lawsuit against Teva Pharmaceuticals TEVA.O, witht the world's largest generic drugmaker.

"We are pleased with the court's preliminary injunction decision to prevent the sale of Teva's generic product before the expiration of the donepezil composition of matter patent," said Hajime Shimizu, Chairman & CEO of Eisai Corporation of North America and Eisai Inc.

"We will continue to actively protect our intellectual property throughout the world."

The Alzheimer's drug Aricept is Eisai's biggest product and one of the few products for Alzheimer treatment.

Eisai's U.S. patent runs out in 2010.

Eisai, Japan's fourth-largest drug maker, expects group sales to grow to 739 billion yen ($7.46 billion) in the current business year ending March 31, compared to 674.11 billion yen a year earlier, and expects a group net profit of 78.50 billion yen, up from 70.61 billion yen last business year. (Reporting by Chikako Mogi; editing by Louise Heavens)