AstraZeneca settles Crestor patent row with generics firms

LONDON, March 25 (Reuters) - AstraZeneca has settled a legal fight over its top-selling cholesterol drug Crestor with generics companies, protecting revenues in the all-important U.S. market until 2016.

Under the agreement, Watson and Egis concede that the Crestor substance patent is valid. The settlement allows Watson to begin selling a generic version of Crestor on May 2, 2016, at a fee to AstraZeneca of 39 percent of net sales, until the end of paediatric exclusivity on July 8, 2016.

AstraZeneca said on Monday its partner Shionogi was also a party to the settlement agreement.

(Reporting by Ben Hirschler)

((ben.hirschler@thomsonreuters.com; +44 20 7542 5082; Reuters Messaging: ben.hirschler.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))

Keywords: ASTRAZENECA CRESTOR/

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