AbbVie files patent suit to stop Amgen's Humira biosimilar

8 August 2016

US drugmaker AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) has launched legal proceedings to prevent rival company Amgen (Nasdaq: AMGN) from marketing a biosimilar version of its blockbuster arthritis drug, Humira (adalimumab).

Last month, a US Food and Drug Administration advisory committee unanimously recommended approval of ABP 501, Amgen’s version of what is the world’s best-selling drug. The regulator is due to make a decision on whether to approve it by late-September.

AbbVie’s Humira patent exclusivity in the USA is due to expire at the end of this year, and several companies are seeking to take advantage by introducing biosimilar versions, unless it wins ongoing legal battles to have its rights extended.

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