Pfizer’s sunitinib (Sutent ), anti-cancer drug for kidney cancer costs roughly Rs. 1.96 lac for a 45-days treatment, or Rs.4375 per 25 mg.capsule. Pfizer holds the patent. Cipla, Mumbai filed post-grant opposition. The Delhi Patent Office has revoked a patent granted in 2007 to Pfizer. Pfizer has the liberty to appeal the decision before the Intellectual Property Appellate Board. The ground for revocation was a lack of inventive step.

Both pre-grant and post-grant opposition to a patent are key in developing countries as they work to open up generic competition.

Previously, Chennai Patent office had revoked Roche’s patent of HIV drug valganciclovir ( Valcyte ) following post-grant applications by patient groups. Valcyte was priced at Rs.1023 per tablet, while the generic competitions were priced at Rs. 245 per tablet.