Lupin resumes US sales of diabetes drug Fortamet copy

Drug maker Lupin said on Thursday that it has resumed US sales of its copy of Shionogi Inc's Fortamet tablets, a type 2 diabetes treatment drug.

The US Court of Appeals has granted its request to stay preliminary injunction that had earlier barred sales of its generic version of Fortamet, it said.

Lupin had received final approval from US Food and Drugs Administration for its Metformin tablets and launched the product in September last year. In December Shionogi's request for a preliminary injunction had been granted and had blocked Lupin from further sales of its generic product.

US sales for Fortamet were USD 70.2 million in the year ended December 2011, Lupin said citing IMS Health data.

Lupin shares were up 0.5% at Rs 556 on NSE in afternoon trade.