Natco Pharma jumps after favourable decision for patent dispute in US Court

Shares of Natco Pharma was up 6.09% at Rs 720.55 at 10:49 IST on BSE.

Natco Pharma announced before trading hours today, 15 October 2018, that the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has affirmed the District of Delaware's decision that Teva's Copaxone 40 mg/ml dosing patents are invalid as obvious. The Federal Circuit also affirmed the final written decisions issued by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) in three inter partes reviews filed by Natco's marketing partner, Mylan, related to the same patents.

These were the last remaining patent infringement cases Mylan was defending in the US relating to Glatiramer Acetate Injection 40mg/ml. Decisions are important milestones as Natco Pharma continues to focus its efforts on meeting the needs of multiple sclerosis patients in the US. The invalidated patents are US Patent Numbers 8,232,250; 8,399,413; 8,969,302; and 9,155,776, which are owned by Veda Research & Development Co., and licensed to Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries.

Copaxone is the most prescribed MS treatment for relapsing forms of MS in the US with brand sales for the 20 mg/ml dose of approximately $527 million and for the 40 mg/ml dose of approximately $2.86 billion for the 12 months ending 31 August 2018, according to IQVIA. Approximately 400,000 individuals in the US have MS and relapsing MS accounts for 85% of initial MS diagnoses.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News