Allergan wins appeals court ruling vs Apotex

BOSTON, April 12 (Reuters)- Allergan Inc. (AGN.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), which makes the wrinkle treatment Botox, said on Thursday that a U.S. federal appeals court affirmed a ruling in its favor in connection with a patent infringement lawsuit against Canadian drugmaker Apotex Inc., Apotex Corp. and Novex Pharma.

The ruling prevents the defendants from obtaining U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval to market a generic version of Allergan's product Acular, for temporary relief of eye itching associated with seasonal allergic conjunctivitis.

In 2006 the defendants appealed a ruling by the U.S.District Court for the Northern District of California that the defendants' proposed generic product infringed a patent owned by Roche Palo Alto LLC and licensed to Allergan.

((Reporting by Toni Clarke, editing by Gerald E. McCormick; Reuters Messaging, toni.clarke.reuters.com@reuters.net, 617-367-4165)) Keywords: ALLERGAN/

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