Bausch Files Suit Against Ciba Vision

Bausch & Lomb Inc. said it had filed suit against Ciba Vision Corp., a unit of Novartis, alleging infringement of a B&L; patent on extended-wear contact lenses.

Bausch & Lomb, which makes PureVision soft contact lenses, said it filed the suit in U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York over a patent it received Tuesday. The company asked the court to block Ciba Vision from selling Focus Night & Day contact lenses in the United States. B&L; said it would seek a permanent injunction against its rival.

A Ciba Vision spokeswoman said the company was reviewing the patent and the allegations.

In the United States, PureVision soft contact lenses are approved for continuous wear for as many as seven days; B&L; is seeking approval for as many as 30 days of continuous wear.

Shares of Rochester, N.Y.-based Bausch & Lomb fell 47 cents to $31.93 on the NYSE.