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The first week of April produced two landmark judgments for multinational pharmaceutical companies trying to make their mark in India. On April 1, the Indian Supreme Court denied patent protection for Glivec . On April 5, the Delhi High Court dismissed a claim by Merck's Indian subsidiary , that Mumbai-based Glenmark Pharmaceuticals should be barred from marketing generic versions of the hit diabetes drugs Januvia and Janumet. By allowing generic versions of these three drugs to flood its market, India seems to be sending a strong message that pharmaceutical manufacturers outside its borders will not have unlimited pricing power over its market of 1.2 billion people. India's denial of patent protection, therefore, raises questions about the pharmaceutical industry's ability to make a profit in the world's second-most populous country -- and it adds fire to the debate over whether the industry's obligation to provide access to life-saving drugs should outweigh its drive for profits. The decision of the Indian Supreme Court to deny Novartis' application for patent protection for an improved version of its Glivec drug - the culmination of a seven-year battle - has certainly made world headlines and put the spotlight on generic drugs and the practice of evergreening, which could have a significant impact on the local pharmaceutical industry