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Aclaris, Allergan sue Taro Pharmaceuticals over skin drug patent violation

Aclaris Therapeutics Inc. and its partner Allergan PLC have sued Israel's Taro Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., which is looking to market a generic version of their skin cream Rhofade in the U.S.

The companies say Taro Pharmaceutical's generic medication — drugs that work the same as a reference therapy but usually cost less — infringes on certain patents covering Rhofade, a treatment for persistent redness associated with a skin condition called rosacea.

Such lawsuits are common in instances a drugmaker seeks regulatory approval to market a generic version of an already approved therapy. Earlier this month, for example, Bausch Health Cos. Inc. sued Novartis AG unit Sandoz Inc., which is looking to sell a generic version of Bausch's gastrointestinal drug Xifaxan in the U.S.

Sometimes, these lawsuits are settled when the generic-drug maker agrees to introduce its product to the market after patents covering the reference therapy expire.

Wayne, Pa.-based Aclaris and Irish pharmaceutical giant Allergan filed their lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. Aclaris acquired the worldwide rights to Rhofade from Allergan in late 2018 for $65 million.

Rhofade is also known as oxymetazoline hydrochloride cream 1%.