Forward Pharma sues Biogen Idec over Tecfidera sales in Germany

18 November 2014

Danish biopharmaceutical company Forward Pharma (Nasdaq: FWP) has filed a law suit against US biotech major Biogen Idec (Nasdaq: BIIB) and its European subsidiaries alleging infringement of its German utility model DE 20 2005 022 112 due to Biogen Idec's marketing of Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) in Germany.

With this law suit in the Regional Court in Dusseldorf, Forward Pharma does not seek to stop sales of Tecfidera to multiple sclerosis patients, but rather seeks damages for what the company believes are Biogen Idec's unlawful sales of Tecfidera in Germany.

Tecfidera was approved by the European Commission in January 2014. Worldwide sales of the drug as reported by Biogen Idec for the previous four quarters totaled nearly $2.4 billion, including $317 million of ex-US sales. Third quarter Tecfidera sales in Germany represented around 75% of the reported $149 million in ex-US Tecfidera sales, according the Biogen Idec’s latest financial results.

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