Finnish Orion files U.S. lawsuit to protect key drug

HELSINKI, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Finnish drug firm Orion (ORNBV.HE) said on Wednesday it has filed a patent infringement lawsuit in the United States to protect its key drug Comtan, used for treatment of Parkinson's disease.

India's Sun Pharma Global is seeking to sell a generic version of Comtan in the Unted States and has filed an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration seeking to sell the drug, Orion said.

"Comtan contains entacapone and is a product originated by Orion Corporation and marketed in the United States for the treatment of Parkinson's disease by its exclusive licensee, Novartis," Orion said in a statement.

Orion said by suing to enforce its patent it is entitled to an automatic stay prohibiting FDA from approving Sun Pharma Global's application for 30 months, or until an earlier court decision adverse to Orion's patent in the patent infringement lawsuit. (Reporting by Tarmo Virki, editing by Leslie Gevirtz)