AstraZeneca has lost its attempt to block the launch of a generic version of its diabetes medicine dapagliflozin in Russia. According to the Telegram channel Bez Retsepta, the Russian Supreme Court declined to review the pharmaceutical company's appeal against Russian drugmaker Akrikhin.

The decision leaves in force a ruling by the Russian Intellectual Property Court that allows Akrikhin to market its generic dapagliflozin product, Fordiglif.

Earlier court proceedings concluded that patent claims related to dapagliflozin no longer enjoy exclusive protection, opening the door for other manufacturers to produce and sell generic versions. The Intellectual Property Court issued its ruling in December, which was upheld by the court’s presidium in March 2026. The Supreme Court’s refusal to hear the case effectively brings the dispute to a close.

The legal battle may not be over for AstraZeneca, however. Alium, a subsidiary of BinnoPharm Group, has filed a similar claim seeking recognition of its right to market a generic dapagliflozin product. A hearing in that case is scheduled for June 23.

Dapagliflozin belongs to the SGLT2 inhibitor class of medicines and is used to treat several conditions:

  • Type 2 diabetes, by helping lower blood glucose levels through increased glucose excretion by the kidneys;

  • Chronic heart failure, by reducing the risk of hospitalization and cardiovascular death, including in patients without diabetes;

  • Chronic kidney disease, by slowing the progression of kidney dysfunction and lowering the risk of kidney failure.

AstraZeneca’s original dapagliflozin brand is Forxiga (marketed in Russia as Forsiga). With patent protection expiring, generic alternatives such as Fordiglif are now entering the market.

Earlier, a Russian court accepted a lawsuit filed by Eli Lilly against Promomed concerning a generic version of a breast cancer treatment.