Krka, d.d., Novo mesto has received the decision of the District Court in Helsinki in the litigation filed by plaintiffs Merck Frosst Canada Limited, Canada, Merck Sharp & Dohme B.V., Netherlands and MSD Finland Oy, Finland (hereinafter collectively referred as MSD) against defendants Krka, d.d., Novo mesto and Krka’s subsidiary Krka Sverige AB (hereinafter collectively referred as Krka), for alleged infringement of two patents held by MSD protecting two manufacturing processes of active pharmaceutical ingredient montelukast in Finland. The litigation commenced in 2009.

District Court in Helsinki found that manufacturing process employed for production of active ingredient montelukast by Krka does not fall into the scope of patented process of MSD and consequently denied the complaint as unfounded.

The judgement is not final. MSD can appeal against the judgement of the first instance.

Krka published the announcement considering the litigation on 24 November 2009.