This article provides an update on our prior analysis of the infliximab litigation involving Janssen Biotech, Inc. (“Janssen”), Celltrion Healthcare Co. and Celltrion, Inc. (“Celltrion”), and Hospira Inc. (“Hospira”).

Briefly, when we last addressed this case, the litigation had already been narrowed to one patent, U.S. Patent No. 7,598,083 (“the ’083 patent”).  Further, there were

On May 25, 2017, Pfizer, Inc. (“Pfizer”) filed two new petitions for inter partes review (“IPR”) of U.S. Patent No. 6,407,213 (“the ’213 patent”).  The ‘213 patent, entitled “Method for Making Humanized Antibodies,” issued on June 18, 2002.  Although the IPR petitions do not identify a particular biologic, Genentech has publicly stated that the technology

Last week, Celltrion, Inc. (“Celltrion”) filed two new petitions for inter partes review (“IPR”) of U.S. Patent No. 6,407,213 (“the ’213 patent”) related to Genentech’s Herceptin® (trastuzumab).  Celltrion has announced that it plans to submit an application for a trastuzumab biosimilar product to the FDA this year (possibly as early as next month), as reported

Over the last two weeks, Pfizer, Inc. (“Pfizer”) has filed petitions for inter partes review (“IPR”) of three additional patents related to Biogen and Genentech’s Rituxan® (rituximab) at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (“PTAB”).  The proceedings are: IPR2017-01166, filed on April 21, 2017, regarding U.S. Patent No. 8,329,172 (“the ’172 patent”); IPR2017-1167, filed on

Celltrion announced last week that it has submitted an application for approval of Herzuma, its proposed trastuzumab biosimilar (CT-P6), in Japan.  Trastuzumab is a monoclonal antibody indicated for the treatment of patients with metastactic breast cancer whose tumors overexpress the HER2 protein and who have received one or more chemotherapy regimens.  Celltrion’s Herzuma (trastuzumab) is

FDA approved Samsung Bioepis’s Renflexis® (SB2, infliximab-abda) on Friday, April 21, 2017.  Renflexis® is the fifth biosimilar approved by the FDA and the second infliximab biosimilar to Janssen’s Remicade®.  Infliximab is an Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor (Anti-TNF) monoclonal antibody approved in the U.S. for treating rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, and

Editors’ Note: Although the BPCIA was enacted seven years ago, to date, only four biosimilar products have been approved by the FDA, and only two of those products are commercially available to patients in the United States – Sandoz’s Zarxio® (a filgrastim biosimilar to Amgen’s Neupogen®) and Celltrion and Hospira’s Inflectra® (an infliximab biosimilar to

On March 31, 2017, Celltrion, Inc. (“Celltrion”) filed three new petition for inter partes review (“IPR”) of two additional patents related to Genentech and Biogen’s Rituxan® (rituximab).  Two of the petitions challenge claims of U.S. Patent No. 7,682,612 (“the ’612 patent”) and the other seeks review of all nine claims of U.S. Patent No.8,206,711 (“the

Pfizer, Inc. (“Pfizer”) filed a new petition with the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (“PTAB”) on March 24, 2017, for inter partes review (“IPR”) of U.S. Patent No. 7,820,161 (“the ’161 patent”) related to Biogen’s and Genentech’s Rituxan® (rituximab).  The challenged claims of the ’161 patent are directed to a method for treating rheumatoid arthritis

On March 21, 2017, Celltrion, Inc. (“Celltrion”) filed two new petitions for inter partes review (“IPR”) of U.S. Patent Nos. 7,846,441 (“the ’441 patent”) and 7,892,549 (“the ’549 patent”). Three days later, on March 24, 2017, Celltrion filed two additional IPR petitions for U.S. Patent Nos. 6,626,196 (“the ‘196 patent”) and 7,371,379 (“the ‘379 patent”).