Generics drug manufacturer Actavis has been sued by Ranbaxy Laboratories in a US court for the attempt to introduce a generic version of Absorica, an Actavis manufactured acne medication sold in the US market. 

Absorica had increased the sales of Ranbaxy in the US market for the quarter ending in September. The drug has cornered a 19% market share in the United States, as confirmed by Ranbaxy executives during an investor call conducted earlier this week. 

According to data from IMS Health, Absorica reached USD97 million in sales in the twelve months ending in September 2013. In a statement from Actavis issued last Friday, it said it was joined by Cipher Pharma and Galephar Pharma Research in its suit filed last October 29 in the district court of New Jersey.

The suit had sought to prevent Actavis from commercializing its abbreviated new drug application product before the expiry of the US patent over the drug. 

Ranbaxy did not respond to an email inquiry on the patent suit. Earlier though, Ranbaxy CEO Arun Sawhney said during an analysts call, "Ranbaxy and Cipher intend to vigorously defend Absorica's intellectual property rights and pursue all available legal and regulatory pathways in defense of the product."