Merck, Pfizer File Suits to Block Three Copies of Steglatro Drug

Merck & Co. and Pfizer Inc. filed lawsuits alleging copycats of Steglatro proposed by three generic-drug makers infringe a patent for the diabetes drug that Pfizer licenses to Merck.

The companies filed complaints Wednesday against Aurobindo Pharma Ltd. and Hetero Labs Ltd. and another Thursday against Cambrex Corp.’s Zenara Pharma Private Ltd., all in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. In the complaints, Merck and Pfizer allege that Aurobindo, Hetero, and Zenara each intend to launch a cheaper version “immediately and imminently upon the approval” of its respective application.

The patent, which ...