On January 28, 2021, Bio-Thera Solutions, Ltd., a biopharmaceutical company based in China, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted its Biologics License Application (BLA) for BAT1706, a proposed biosimilar to bevacizumab, referencing Genentech’s Avastin®, but excluding indications under orphan drug exclusivity protection.  The FDA has set November 27, 2021,

The COVID-19 relief and spending bill signed into law on December 27, 2020, includes a provision – Division BB, Title III, Subtitle C, Section 325[1] – that adds a new paragraph 9 to 42 U.S.C. §262(k) requiring the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (“FDA”) to provide more information to the public about patented biological

On December 2, 2020, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Boehringer Ingelheim”) submitted a Citizen Petition requesting a change in the FDA’s interpretation of “strength” of biological products under the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act (“BPCIA”).  The Citizen Petition is available on regulations.gov under docket number: FDA-2020-P-2247.  Boehringer Ingelheim seeks an interpretation of “strength” to

On November 20, 2020, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (“FDA”) released a Q&A-format draft guidance to address four questions regarding the submission of biologics license applications (BLAs) and labeling for interchangeable biosimilar products. 85 FR 74345 (“Draft Guidance”). The Q&As in the Draft Guidance will be finalized by adding them as a revision to

On November 18, 2020, companies Samsung Bioepis Co., Ltd. and Biogen Inc. announced that the United States Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) accepted for review the Biologics License Application for SB11, a proposed biosimilar referencing Genentech, Inc. product Lucentis® (ranibizumab).  Ranibizumab is an anti-VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) therapy for retinal vascular disorders, which are

The world-wide market share of biologic drugs is advancing at a staggering pace, with some estimates ranging from $ 300 billion to $452 billion in revenue within the next five years.[1],[2],[3]  The treatment costs for patients administered biologic drugs are very high relative to historic drug prices.  The one year

The Federal Circuit recently held[1] in a 2-1 decision that there was substantial evidence supporting a jury finding that Teva was liable for induced infringement for an indication carved out of its skinny label for its generic version of carvedilol.

The case concerned GSK’s United States Patent No. 4,503,067 (“the ’067 patent”) and Reissue

Updated October 12, 2020

  • FDA has only approved two biosimilars in 2020.
  • No biosimilars have launched in the U.S. since April 2020.
  • EMA approves first Novolog® (insulin aspartate), third and fourth Avastin® (bevacizumab), and sixth Herceptin® (trastuzumab) biosimilars.

As pharmaceutical drug costs attract increasing media attention and political scrutiny, a growing number of biosimilar drugs

Last week, the Federal Circuit denied Sandoz’s petition for an en banc rehearing of its precedential July 1st panel decision upholding two of Immunex’s patents covering Enbrel®.

As explained in the petition, Immunex was the first to make etanercept, the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor fusion protein that is the active ingredient in Enbrel® (used