Pfizer says Spanish court upholds Lipitor patent

NEW YORK, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) on Tuesday said a Spanish appellate court has upheld the validity of a patent on the company's blockbuster Lipitor cholesterol drug, reversing an unfavorable lower court decision.

Pfizer said the Court of Appeal of Barcelona upheld its so-called enantiomer patent on the calcium salt of atorvastatin, the active ingredient of Lipitor.

New York-based Pfizer said the patent, which will lapse in July 2010, had been contested by generic drugmaker Lek Pharmaceuticals.

Pfizer said Lek's action is one of four separate challenges to the calcium salt patent on Lipitor. The cholesterol fighter is sold in Spain under the brand names Zarator and Cardyl.

(Reporting by Ransdell Pierson, editing by Gerald E. McCormick)

((Reuters Messaging: ransdell.pierson.reuters.com@reuters.net; 646-223-6034; ransdell.pierson@reuters.com)) Keywords: PFIZER LIPITOR/

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