FDA approves generic heroin substitutes
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved two generic versions of Reckitt Benckiser’s heroin replacement tablet Suboxone – despite Reckitt’s claims that the product is unsafe.
BRICK nations catching up on patents, as Brazil looks to life sciences
In a report published by Thomson Reuters on February 20, the BRICK nations were shown to be filing almost as many patents as the G7 nations in 2011.
UK appeals court upholds Genentech patent
England’s Court of Appeal has affirmed a 2012 High Court ruling that pharmaceutical company Genentech’s patent covering human vascular endothelial growth factor antagonists is valid and has been infringed by Regeneron and Bayer Pharmaceutical’s drug Eylea.
US appeals court upholds AstraZeneca’s Seroquel XR patent
The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has affirmed a 2012 ruling that AstraZeneca’s patent for antipsychotic drug Seroquel XR is valid and has been infringed by companies selling competing generics.
Teva faces $2 billion damages for selling generic Protonix
Israeli company Teva Pharmaceuticals could be forced to pay more than $2 billion in damages for selling a generic version of Nycomed and Pfizer’s heartburn reliever Protonix before the drug’s patent exclusivity expired in the US.
Australian court backs Myriad in human gene patent dispute
A judge at Australia’s Federal Court has upheld Myriad Genetics’ patent covering a human gene mutation linked to breast cancer, in the country’s first court ruling on whether isolated genes can be patented.
Bristol-Myers Squibb loses Baraclude patent fight with Teva
A US judge has declared pharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers Squibb’s patent covering its hepatitis B treatment Baraclude obvious and invalid.
India’s Patent Office revokes Sutent cancer drug patent
India’s Patent Office has revoked pharmaceutical company Sugen and licensee Pfizer’s patent for the cancer drug Sutent, agreeing with Indian drugs maker Cipla that it lacks inventive step.
Mexican Senate proposes bill to reduce life term of medicine patents
The Mexican Senate has published a bill which, if adopted, will reduce the life term of medicine patents in Mexico by up to one year.
Nuvo Research and Apotex reach PENNSAID patent settlement
Canadian pharmaceutical firms Nuvo Research and Apotex have agreed a patent settlement allowing Apotex to launch a generic version of Nuvo’s arthritis treatment PENNSAID in the US.
