Welcome to the Big Molecule Watch!

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Goodwin’s award-winning Big Molecule Watch is the best resource for daily updates and analyses of regulatory issues, litigation, legislation, and other news in the world of biologics, biosimilars and related technologies. The editors of this blog have collectively been watching and engaging with the world of biologics and biosimilars (“big molecules”) since before the inception of the biosimilar industry in the U.S.  With extensive experience representing clients at all stages of a biologic’s or biosimilar’s lifecycle, from research and development, to patents, to regulatory application and approval, and through litigation and appeals, we are excited to share our observations and insights as the industry and the law continues to develop in this exciting area.

This blog focuses on “big molecules” as opposed to “small molecules.” Small molecule drugs have low molecular weight, a simple and well-defined structure, and are chemically synthesized. In contrast, “big molecule” drugs have high molecular weight, complex structures, and are derived from living organisms. For example, aspirin is small molecule while a monoclonal antibody is a big molecule. For further reading on big molecules, consider FDA's resources on biologics.

FDA Approves Mylan’s Biosimilar of HUMIRA (Adalimumab)

On July 6, 2020, the U.S. FDA approved Mylan’s aBLA for HULIO (adalimumab-fkjp), a biosimilar of AbbVie’s HUMIRA. HULIO is indicated for treating certain patients with rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, adult Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and plaque psoriasis. HUMIRA, in contrast, is additionally approved for…

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BREAKING NEWS: Federal Circuit Denies Genentech’s Appeal to Block Sales of Amgen’s MVASI (bevacizumab-awwb)

Today, in the Genentech v. Amgen BPCIA litigation concerning Amgen’s MVASI (bevacizumab-awwb) biosimilar product, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued an opinion affirming the district court’s denial of Genentech’s motions to enjoin sales of MVASI in the United States.  MVASI is an FDA-approved biosimilar of Genentech’s…

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Divided Federal Circuit Affirms Result in Immunex v. Sandoz Etanercept Litigation

We previously reported on the decision by the District of New Jersey (Cecchi, J.) to uphold the validity of U.S. Patent No. 8,063,182, related to “the fusion protein etanercept, the active ingredient in Immunex’s product ENBREL” and U.S. Patent No. 8,163,522, related to ENBREL’s method of manufacture.  As we reported…

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Cost savings with biosimilar pegfilgrastim-cbqv in prophylaxis of chemo-induced febrile neutropenia

Researchers from the University of Arizona Cancer Center recently presented results of a simulation designed to model the cost savings from converting patients from pegfilgrastim to biosimilar pegfilgrastim-cbqv.  The results were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting on May 29-31, 2020. The researchers conducted simulation…

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Denosumab biosimilar IND approval in China and teriparatide biosimilar launch in South Korea

Shanghai Henlius Biotech (Henlius) recently announced that China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has approved an investigation new drug (IND) application[1] of HLX14, a denosumab biosimilar.  Denosumab is a recombinant humanized anti-RANKL monoclonal antibody for injection that is approved for the treatment of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis with a high…

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Bevacizumab Updates

On June 16, 2020, Shanghai Henlius Biotech, Inc. announced that HLX04-mCRC03, a phase 3 clinical trial of bevacizumab biosimilar HLX04, had successfully met its primary endpoint.  The study compared the safety, efficacy and immunogenicity of HLX04 and Avastin in combination with oxaliplatin and fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy as first-line treatment in patients…

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Supreme Court Denies Cert on 5th Amendment Constitutionality of Subjecting Pre-AIA Patents to IPR

Today, the Supreme Court denied three petitions for certiorari challenging the constitutionality of subjecting patents issued prior to the America Invents Act (“AIA”) to inter partes review (“IPR”).  See Celgene v. Peter; Collabo v. Sony Corp.; Enzo v. Becton, Dickinson and Company.  In all three underlying cases, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit had…

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