Patents could provide intellectual property protection for Alimta in Japan until June 2021.

Eli Lilly and Company has announced that the Japan IP High Court confirmed the decisions of the Japan Patent Office and ruled in Lilly's favour in the invalidation trials initiated by Sawai regarding Lilly's vitamin regimen patents for Alimta.

In the fourth quarter of 2015, the Japan Patent Office issued written decisions upholding the validity of the Alimta vitamin regimen patents.

If the patents are ultimately upheld through all challenges, they could provide intellectual property protection for Alimta in Japan until June 2021. Lilly will take necessary actions to defend and enforce the patents.

"We are pleased with the decision from the Japan IP High Court confirming the validity of the Alimta vitamin regimen patents," said Michael J. Harrington, senior vice president and general counsel for Lilly. "Lilly's significant scientific research in support of the Alimta vitamin regimen deserves intellectual property protection."

Harrington continued: "We continue to emphasize that protection of intellectual property rights is extremely important to the biopharmaceutical industry and to the patients we serve. These rights provide assurances of market exclusivity that help support the development of the next generation of innovative medicines to treat unmet medical needs."