BMS - Apotex: The Case of the Short Dated Clopidogrel

From the FT

The patent fight over Plavix has taken on the characteristics of a pharmaceuticals industry 'whodunnit' mystery.

The case over the world's second best-selling medicine highlights an aggressive generic drug industry pressing branded drugmakers with bold tactics.

It has emerged that a previously unknown inventory build-up of a generic version of Plavix spurred Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sanofi-Aventis's negotiations with Apotex, maker of the generic version, over the threat to their blood-thinner.

Expiry dates on generic Plavix on shelves now also confirm that Apotex was making the drug late last year. Generic Plavix stocked in an outpatient pharmacy at a university hospital in Chicago carries an expiry date of October 2, 2007.

Lawyers for the companies have asserted that the typical shelf life of generic Plavix is two years. According to them, the generic Plavix in question was made in October last year.

"What does it all mean Holmes?"

"Go here, Watson, and read it for youself!"