Novartis India will continue to file for patents - exec

MUMBAI, April 1 (Reuters) - Novartis India Ltd, a unit of Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG, will continue to file for patents in India, its vice chairman said on Monday, after the country's top court rejected its plea for patent protection of its drug Glivec.

Novartis India will also continue to invest there, but with caution, Ranjit Shahani, who is also the managing director of the company, told reporters after the Supreme Court judgment.

Earlier on Monday, the court dismissed Novartis' petition seeking patent protection for cancer drug Glivec, a serious blow to Western pharmaceutical firms who are increasingly focusing on India to drive sales.