Janssen mulls legal proceedings against Russia's Pharmsyntez

Janssen Pharmaceuticals, part of US health care giant Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), is considering initiating legal proceedings against Russian drugmaker Pharmsynthez for the registration of an analogue of an anti-HIV rilpivirine drug, the patent for which belongs to Janssen, reports The Pharma Letter’s local correspondent.

According to some Russian media reports, the drug was registered by Pharmsyntez under the Lakonivir brand name. From the register of medicines it follows that the Russian company plans to produce the active substance for the drug at its Bratskhimxintez plant.

The original drug Edurant (rilpivirine) is produced by Janssen. Its maximum price is 23,900 roubles ($376) per package. According to the managing director of Janssen in Russia and the CIS, Katerina Pogodina, the drug is patent-protected by a patent until 2027.