DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
                  United States Patent and Trademark Office

           Grant of Certificate of Interim Extension of the term of
                U.S. Patent No. 4,229,449: roboxetine mesylate

AGENCY: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of Interim Patent Term Extension

SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office
has issued a certificate under 35 U.S.C. 156(d)(5) for a third one-year
interim extension of the term of U.S. Patent No. 4,229,449.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karin Tyson by
telephone at (703) 306- 3159; by mail marked to her attention and
addressed to the Assistant Commissioner for Patents, Box Patent Ext.,
Washington, D.C. 20231; by fax marked to her attention at (703)
872-9411, or by e-mail to karin.tyson@uspto.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 156 of Title 35,
United States Code, generally provides that the term of a patent may be
extended for a period of up to 5 years if the patent claims a product,
or a method of making or using a product, that has been subject to
certain defined regulatory review, and that the patent may be extended
for interim periods of up to a year if the regulatory review is
anticipated to extend beyond the expiration date of the patent.

On November 17, 2000, patent owner Pharmacia & Upjohn, S.p.A.,
filed an application under 35 U.S.C.   156(d)(5) for a third interim
extension of the term of U.S. Patent No. 4,229,449. The patent claims
the active ingredient roboxetine mesylate (Vestra  ). The application
indicates a New Drug Application for the human drug product roboxetine
mesylate (Vestra  ) has been filed and is currently undergoing
regulatory review before the Food and Drug Administration for
permission to market or use the product commercially. The original term
of the patent expired on January 8, 1999, and has been previously
extended under 35 U.S.C.    156(d)(5) to January 9, 2001.

Review of the application indicates that except for permission to
market or use the product commercially, the subject patent would be
eligible for an extension of the patent term under 35 U.S.C.    156.
Since it is apparent that the regulatory review period will extend
beyond the extended expiration date of the patent, the term of the
patent is extended under 35 U.S.C.    156(d)(5) for a term of one year
from January 9, 2001.

Jan. 19, 2001                                             Q. TODD DICKINSON
                                            Under Secretary of Commerce for
                                  Intellectual Property and Director of the
                                  United States Patent and Trademark Office