SmithKline Beecham Seiyaku K.K. was awarded some 3 billion yen in damages in a patent infringement lawsuit, the largest compensation ordered in such a case in Japan, the drug maker said.The Tokyo District Court ruled Monday that Fujimoto Seiyaku Co., a drug maker based in Osaka Prefecture, sold an ulcer medicine imported from the former Yugoslavia that was produced by using techniques patented by SmithKline.SmithKline, a Japanese unit of SmithKline Beecham PLC of Britain, argued that Fujimoto sold the medicine between 1986 and 1993, causing SmithKline Beecham damages of 500 million yen in royalties and its Japanese subsidiary damages of some 2.5 billion yen in sales, the ruling says. Fujimoto officials said the company will deliberate over its response after closely examining the court's decision.
