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India wins flu drug patent battle against China

New Delhi, August 6
India has won a crucial patent dispute against China for treating influenza and epidemic fever through medicinal formulations using ‘pudina’ (mint) and ‘kalamegha’ (andrographis), the Lok Sabha was informed on Friday.

Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare S. Gandhiselvan said Chinese pharmaceutical company Livzon Pharmaceutical Group Inc, Guangdong, had filed a patent application with the European Patent Office (EPO).

China claimed it had traditional medicine composition for treatment of avian influenza, as well as its method for preparation and application. It was filed in January 2007.

The EPO, after examining the application, said it would grant the patent to the firm. But on April 27 this year, the Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) found that they had references from Ayurveda and Unani books about the use of ‘pudina’ and ‘kalamegha ‘being used to treat influenza and epidemic fever. The CSIR made a submission to the EPO on the basis of available references “An EPO team considered the evidences and upheld India’s claim. It also decided to cancel its earlier intention of granting patent to the Chinese firm,” the minister said. — IANS