Allergan Sues to Block Generic Drug

Allergan Inc. filed a lawsuit seeking to block rivals Alcon Laboratories Inc. and Bausch & Lomb Inc. from selling generic versions of its Alphagan glaucoma treatment.

Allergan said it owns the rights to two patents that relate to Alphagan, a brimonidine tartrate solution. Alphagan accounted for about 15% of Allergan’s $1.56 billion in 2000 sales, according to Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

Bausch & Lomb and Alcon, a unit of Swiss food maker Nestle, applied to the Food and Drug Administration for permission to sell a generic form of Alphagan. Allergan claims the applications infringe its patents.

Irvine-based Allergan seeks a court order blocking the sale of any infringing products until after the patents expire.

Shares of Bausch & Lomb fell 13 cents to $38.77 on the New York Stock Exchange, and Allergan shares fell $1.78 to $70.99, also on the NYSE.