By Erin Coe

Law360, San Diego (January 27, 2012, 7:53 PM ET) -- Allergan Inc. lodged a patent infringement suit in Texas federal court on Friday seeking to stop Hi-Tech Pharmacal Co. Inc. from launching a generic version of Allergan's glaucoma medication Lumigan.

The Irvine, Calif.-based drugmaker brought its complaint after Hi-Tech sought federal approval of an abbreviated new drug application to make and sell bimatoprost ophthalmic solution, a generic version of Allergan’s Lumigan 0.01 percent product, throughout the U.S. before the expiration of Allergan’s patent.

Allergan received a letter on Jan. 3 from Amityville, N.Y.-based Hi-Tech asserting that...