Sanofi sues Teva over Eloxatin patent

NEW YORK, June 20 (Reuters) - Sanofi-Aventis (SASY.PA) has sued Teva Industries Ltd. (TEVA.TA)(TEVA.O) over Teva's plans to sell a generic version of the French drugmaker's cancer treatment Eloxatin, according to court documents filed this week.

The lawsuit, filed on Monday in federal court in New Jersey, comes on the heels of a similar suit filed there last week by Sanofi against Sandoz, a unit of Novartis (NOVN.VX).

Eloxatin had nearly 1.7 billion euros in sales in 2006 for Sanofi, the world's third largest drugmaker.

In an amended complaint filed on Wednesday, Sanofi alleged that Teva's plan to make and sell a generic version of the drug infringed a patent for which it was an exclusive licensee.

Teva filed a new drug application with the FDA for a generic product, oxaliplatin injection, according to the complaint. Oxaliplatin is the active ingredient in Eloxatin.

Sanofi is seeking an order blocking Teva from making or selling the generic product in the United States.

Teva and Sanofi could not be reached immediately for comment.

(Reporting by Paritosh Bansal)

((Editing by Tim Dobbyn; Tel: 212-393-9461; paritosh.bansal@reuters.com)) Keywords: SANOFI TEVA/SUIT

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