The Delhi High Court in India has issued an injunction, restraining Sinopharm Weiqida from exporting its “Amoxycillin Trihydrate” product to India, as it infringes the patent of Centrient Pharmaceuticals
The High Court also found Sinopharm Weiqida guilty of Contempt of Court for failing to follow the previously granted preliminary injunction order
Rotterdam, 19 February 2019 - Centrient Pharmaceuticals (“Centrient”), the leading manufacturer of beta-lactam antibiotics, and a provider of next generation statins and anti-fungals, announced that the Delhi High Court in India has granted an injunction against Sinopharm Weiqida Pharmaceuticals and Sinopharm India, restricting the export and/or import into India of its active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) amoxicillin trihydrate. In addition, the Delhi High Court also found Sinopharm Weiqida prima facie guilty of contempt of Court for illegally importing amoxicillin active ingredients in contravention of the previously granted preliminary injunction in place in India since April 2017. The Court further found that Sinopharm Weiqida has infringed the patent of Centrient.
Centrient, and its wholly owned subsidiaries, Centrient Pharmaceuticals Netherlands B.V. and Centrient Pharmaceuticals India Pvt. Ltd., announced today that the Delhi High Court in India has granted an injunction against Sinopharm Weiqida Pharmaceutical Co., LTD ("Weiqida") blocking the export, importation and sale of its amoxicillin active ingredient into India. The injunction prevents the importation of Weiqida’s amoxicillin trihydrate active pharmaceutical ingredient in India in any form.
Weiqida was also found in contempt of the Delhi High Court’s original preliminary injunction order, granted in April 2017, through its continued importation and sale of its amoxicillin trihydrate active pharmaceutical ingredient in India. Centrient will seek monetary compensation for the damage sustained by the illegal shipments, in violation of the preliminary injunction since April 2017.
Centrient wishes to put all buyers of Weiqida’s amoxicillin trihydrate active pharmaceutical ingredient in India on notice (even if such API transits through India under advanced license) to be aware of the above orders of the Delhi High Court. Centrient shall ensure full compliance of the orders of the Delhi High Court and will notify the Indian Customs Authority and other authorities to seize all future Weiqida amoxicillin shipments at the relevant customs facilities.
Karl Rotthier, CEO at Centrient Pharmaceuticals said: “Centrient holds a world-class intellectual property portfolio relating to our innovative, sustainable and environmentally-friendly amoxicillin technology. We will continue to rigorously defend our Intellectual Property assets worldwide as we continue to invest in our innovative R&D programs directed to enzymatically produced, sustainable antimicrobials and statins. We will continue to supply our customers with reliable, non-infringing, top quality amoxicillin.”