The price reduction of BMS Korea Pharmaceutical’s blood thinner Elidquis has been suspended until July 19, as the drugmaker filed an administrative suit against the health and welfare minister to stop the price cut.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare said Friday that the effectiveness of the price ceiling on Eliquis Tab. (ingredient: apixaban), publicly noticed as of June 24, has been suspended and the drug will be sold at the current price until July 19.

Earlier, the ministry had put on the notice that it would reduce the maximum price of Eliquis 2.5mg/5mg from 1,185 won per tablet to 830 won ($0.71) from July 1, and further down to 635 won from June 1, 2020.

The ministry said it sought a 30 percent price cut of Eliquis because several Eliquis copy drugs have already arrived in the local market.

However, BMS Korea filed a suit with the Seoul Administrative Court to nullify the ministry’s order to lower the drug price on June 25, one day after the ministry’s notice. On Monday, the company requested the court to stop the execution of the drug price cut.

“According to the Seoul Administrative Court’s decision on Thursday, the notice of the price reduction of Eliquis will be suspended until July 19. Depending on the court’s ruling, the effectiveness of the notice is subject to change,” the health and welfare ministry said.

Domestic pharmaceutical firms won a suit against BMS Korea over the substance patent of Eliquis. In June, four generic copies, including Chong Kun Dang’s Liquisia, have been registered as authorized generic drugs. Nine other similar drugs, such as Hanmi Pharmaceutical’s Apixban, are scheduled to be registered in July.

Eliquis’ generic drugs are priced between 600 and 706 won per tablet, about 50-60 percent level of Eliquis’ 1,185 won.