Drugmaker Merck & Co. MRK on Tuesday said that a U.S. district court had validated U.S. patent protection for its neuromuscular drug Bridion through “at least January 2026.” The announcement followed what the company said was a favorable ruling from the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey over a patent-infringement lawsuit related to the drug, which according to the FDA is administered to reverse the effects of other drugs used to paralyze a patient’s vocal cords and allow breathing-tube insertion for surgery. Merck said the court “found that Merck correctly calculated the Patent Term Extension period for…