Australia’s Mayne Pharma has launched a generic version of Sanofi-Aventis’ Eloxatin in Portugal, its second European market after Estonia, and says it expects to roll the product out in the remainder of Europe over the coming months.

Mayne’s generic oxaliplatin products was first approved by the Estonian health authorities in March, and Portugal is the first country to approve it under the European Union’s mutual recognition procedure.

Mayne won a critical lawsuit against Sanofi-Aventis in May after a UK High Court ruled in its favour and said that its product did not infringe oxaliplatin patents held by the French drugmaker covering manufacturing methods. Sanofi-Aventis is appealing that verdict.

In 2005, oxaliplatin generated sales of approximately $1.5 billion, growing 28% over the prior year, according to data from IMS health MAT published in December 2005. The European market for oxaliplatin has a value of approximately $500 million.