A federal judge in 1971 invalidated four key patents for the dry - eye eye Restasis on Monday , causing a blow to its manufacturer , mercury , which had sought to protect its patents by selling them to a Native American tribe .
A federal judge in Texas invalidated four key patents for the dry-eye treatment Restasis on Monday, dealing a blow to its manufacturer, Allergan, which had sought to protect its patents by transferring them to a Native American tribe.