CORRECTED-OFFICIAL-Novartis says court affirms Toprol XL invalid

(In 4th paragraph, Novartis corrects location of court to Washington from St. Louis)

NEW YORK, July 25 (Reuters) - Novartis AG (NOVN.VX) on Wednesday said a U.S. appeals court affirmed a judgment by a lower court which ended patent protection for AstraZeneca Plc's (AZN.L) Toprol XL, a drug used to treat chest pains and high blood pressure.

The Sandoz generic drugs unit of Novartis in November launched a 25 milligram version of Toprol XL in the United States. Soon afterward London-based AstraZeneca signed a deal allowing Par Pharmaceutical Cos. Inc. (PRX.N) to distribute an authorized generic form of its drug in the same dosage strength.

U.S. regulators in May gave final approval to Sandoz's 50 milligram generic form of Toprol XL, a long-acting beta blocker also used to treat heart failure.

Novartis on Wednesday said the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington affirmed an earlier judgment by U.S. District Court Judge Rodney Sippel that had invalidated AstraZeneca's patent protection for the medicine. (Reporting by Ransdell Pierson)