The Intellectual Property Research Center under the China University of Political Science and Law informed us the invalidation complaint filed by its director Prof. Zhang Chu against Pfizer's patent on Lipitor would be heard in days.

Patentee Warner-Lambert company is a subsidiary of the global pharmaceutical giant Pfizer.  The patent covers the atorvastatin compound which is the main ingredient of Lipitor, a drug treating heart and vascular diseases.

On 14 September 2004, the US-based Public Patent Foundation (PUBPAT) filed a request with the United States Patent and Trademark Office to reexamine and revoke the Lipitor patent. The PTO rejected the patent in 22 June 2005 by knocking off all 44 claims of the patent.  Joining Prof. Zhang in the nullity challenge is Chinese drug maker Garlin Pharmaceutical.

(China IP News)