Pfizer wins landmark Viagra ruling in China
Beijing: The biggest drug company in the world Pfizer has won a legal battle in China. A local court The Beijing No 1 Intermediate People's court has ordered Chinese pharma companies Beijing Health New Concept Pharmaceutical Co Ltd and Jiangsu-based Lianhuan Pharmaceutical Co Ltd to stop sales and production of blue rhomboid pills similar to Viagra and pay 600,000 yuan (76,726 US dollars) to Pfizer as compensation for infringing on its registered trademark.

Pfizer sued the two companies in September 2005, claiming "Weige", the Chinese name of Viagra, which was sold and produced, infringed on the registered trademark of Viagra.

Pfizer also sued Guangzhou Viaman Pharmaceutical Co Ltd, which produced another anti-impotence drug registered as "Weige" in 1998, and claimed Viaman guided the infringement actions of the Beijing and Jiangsu companies.

The court said there was no evidence to show that Viaman plotted the infringement of the other two companies, Xinhua news agency reported.
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Italy to offload 30.1 pc stake in Alitalia
Milan: The Italian government is planning to sell 30.1 pc stake in airline Alitalia. The ministry of economy and finance has invited expressions of interest for the purchase of shareholding of not less than 30.1 pc in all the convertible bonds owned by the ministry.

According to agency reports, the potential buyers must guarantee the airline's 18,000 jobs, national routes, and the Italian identity of the Alitalia brand. In a document published on its website (www.mef.govt.it), the airline said expressions of interest for Alitalia must be presented by January 29.
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