On Wednesday, Samsung Bioepis and Merck announced the U.S. launch of Ontruzant® (trastuzumab-dttb), a biosimilar to Herceptin® (trastuzumab). Ontruzant® is indicated for the treatment of HER2-overexpressing breast cancer, and HER2-overexpressing metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma, and is available in both 150 mg single-dose vials and 420 mg multiple-dose vials. …
We have previously reported on the BPCIA Genentech v. Amgen cases relating to trastuzumab and bevacizumab. This week, Judge Connolly construed the term “following fermentation” as it relates to U.S. Patent No. 8,574,869 (“the Kao patent”) to mean “after the earlier of harvesting or purification has begun.” By way of…
Last week, Merck announced its intention to spin-off products from its Women’s Health, legacy brands, and biosimilars businesses into a new, yet-to-be-named, independent, publicly traded company. According to Merck, “NewCo will pursue global leadership and focused, sustainable growth in Women’s Health led by the growing and patent-protected NEXPLANON (etonogestrel implant)…
Last week, Almirall signed an agreement with WuXi Biologics to collaborate on multiple bispecific antibodies targeting dermatology conditions, including atopic dermatitis. Almirall’s press release indicated that, “[u]nder the terms of the agreement, Almirall has access to WuXi Biologics’ proprietary antibody platforms including WuXiBody™ to discover multiple novel bispecific antibodies.” This…
Today, the World Health Organization (“WHO”) prequalified Samsung Bioepis’s breast cancer biosimilar trastuzumab – WHO’s first biosimilar prequalification. Prequalification is “a service provided by WHO to assess the quality, safety and efficacy of those products that address global public health priorities.” The WHO noted that the global average price of…
This week, several companies reported updates in their clinical development of biosimilars or follow-on biologics. On December 3, Outlook Therapeutics (formerly known as Oncobiologics) announced the FDA agreed with three of Outlook’s proposed Special Protocol Assessments (“SPAs”) relating to ONS-5010, an investigational ophthalmic formulation of bevacizumab which is currently in…
Yesterday, Mylan N.V. and Biocon Ltd. announced the U.S. launch of OGIVRI (trastuzumab-dkst), a biosimilar to HERCEPTIN (trastuzumab). According to the press release, “OGIVRI™ is approved for all indications of HERCEPTIN® including for the treatment of HER2-overexpressing breast cancer and metastatic stomach cancer (gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma),” and is available in both…
On October 15, 2019, Genentech filed reply briefs in support of its Federal Circuit appeals from the PTAB’s final written decisions of unpatentability of the challenged claims of U.S. Patent Nos. 7,846,441 and 7,892,549, which are directed to methods of treating HER2+ cancer with trastuzumab (Cases Nos. 19-1263, 19-1265, 19-1267…
Last week, several briefs were filed in Federal Circuit appeals relating to trastuzumab biosimilars: Trastuzumab IPR Appeals On September 3, 2019, the USPTO submitted responsive appellate briefs in Federal Circuit appeals from IPR final written decisions regarding two patents related to methods of treating HER2+ cancer with trastuzumab (Cases Nos….
Taiwan-based EirGenix, Inc. and Sandoz recently announced that they have entered into an agreement, giving Sandoz an exclusive license to commercialize EirGenix’s proposed biosimilar version of Roche’s Herceptin (trastuzumab), which is now in in Phase III clinical development for treatment of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positive (HER2+) breast…