Novartis loses case, Indian firms have edge
SC rejects Swiss pharma giant’s cancer drug patent plea 
Verdict to prevent steep hike in prices
New Delhi, April 1
In a landmark verdict that will check steep hikes in the prices of life saving drugs, the Supreme Court today rejected Swiss pharma giant Novartis’ plea for a patent on cancer medicine Glivec/Gleevec. A Bench comprising Justices Aftab Alam and Ranjana Desai held in a 97-page judgment that the cancer drug being manufactured by Novartis AG was not the result of any invention and as such did not deserve a patent.

SC judgment on Novartis claim a relief for patients
Had pharma company won, critical blood cancer drug in question would have cost Rs 1.20 lakh per month per patient as against Rs 8,000 today
New Delhi, April 1
Today’s Supreme Court judgment rejecting Novartis’ patent protection claim over imantinib mesylate, a critical blood cancer drug, is a huge victory for patients’ access to affordable generic medicines in India and abroad. The court rejected the Swiss pharma major’s claim on grounds that the drug it was seeking to patent was a mere modification (salt form) of an older medicine called imatinib and didn’t offer improved therapeutic efficacy. 

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Sports Ministry tells anti-doping agency to test Vijender
New Delhi/ Patiala/ Fatehgarh Sahib, April 1
A day after the Punjab Police said top pugilist Vijender Singh and his sparring partner Ram Singh consumed heroin, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports today directed the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) to carry out an out-of-competition dope test on the Olympic medallist “immediately”. The pugilist has been avoiding giving samples of his blood and hair and insisted to tests by either NADA or WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency).

Drug traffickers gun down ASI near Phagwara 
Phagwara, April 1
In a sensational murder, Gurdev Singh (52), an ASI posted with highway patrol party, was shot dead by four assailants near a restaurant located on the Phagwara-Jalandhar road at 12.45 am today. The assailants escaped in a white Verna car having the registration number PB 08 6162. After watching the CCTV footage procured from the restaurant, the police has identified them as professional drug traffickers, police sources said.  After watching the CCTV footage procured from the restaurant, the police has identified them as professional drug traffickers, police sources said. Raids were being conducted to nab the culprits

Realtor Bhardwaj’s ‘shooters’, two others in Delhi Police net
New Delhi, April 1
Four persons, including two men who allegedly shot Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader and realtor Deepak Bhardwaj at his Delhi farmhouse-resort last week, were arrested on Monday, but investigators are yet to nab those who hired them. A senior Delhi Police officer identified the main accused as Rakesh, Amit, Purshotam Rana and Sunil Mann. Rakesh is the owner of the metallic grey Skoda car Bhardwaj’s killers used to escape after the crime. Amit was driving the vehicle.

Petrol cheaper by 85 paise per litre
New Delhi, April 1
Petrol price has been cut by 85 paise per litre with effect from midnight, the second reduction in rates in two weeks. The price cut, which was made possible because of fall in international oil prices, is excluding local sales tax or VAT. After including VAT, the reduction in price of petrol in Delhi comes to Rs 1.02 per litre and the fuel will cost Rs 67.29 per litre from midnight tonight against Rs 68.34.