Last of Teva's three glatiramer so-called HBr patents revoked

13 September 2017

Yesterday, in opposition proceedings filed by inter alia Synthon, the Technical Board of Appeal (TBA) of the European Patent Office revoked the last of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries' (NYSE: TEVA) three glatiramer so-called HBr patents which claimed an allegedly improved process for the synthesis of glatiramer acetate.

This decision clears the way for Dutch generics company Synthon’s generic glatiramer acetate, thereby giving European patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis access to a clinically validated, affordable, efficacious and safe alternative to Teva’s blockbuster multiple sclerosis drug Copaxone. Synthon gained European approval for its copy version of Copaxone in April 2016.

Asserting one or more of these HBr patents, Teva filed applications for ex parte preliminary injunctions or other measures in 19 European countries against Synthon and/or Synthon’s partners which led to an even larger number of legal proceedings. This TBA decision confirms that these actions lacked legal basis and thus were unjustified.

This article is accessible to registered users, to continue reading please register for free. A free trial will give you access to exclusive features, interviews, round-ups and commentary from the sharpest minds in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology space for a week. If you are already a registered user please login. If your trial has come to an end, you can subscribe here.

Try before you buy

Free

7 day trial access

Take a Free Trial

All the news that moves the needle in pharma and biotech
Exclusive features, podcasts, interviews, data analyses and commentary from our global network of life sciences reporters.
Receive The Pharma Letter daily news bulletin, free forever.

Become a subscriber

£820

Or £77 per month

Subscribe Now

Unfettered access to industry-leading news, commentary and analysis in pharma and biotech.
Updates from clinical trials, conferences, M&A, licensing, financing, regulation, patents & legal, executive appointments, commercial strategy and financial results.
Daily roundup of key events in pharma and biotech.
Monthly in-depth briefings on Boardroom appointments and M&A news.
Choose from a cost-effective annual package or a flexible monthly subscription

The Pharma Letter is an extremely useful and valuable Life Sciences service that brings together a daily update on performance people and products. It’s part of the key information for keeping me informed

Chairman, Sanofi Aventis UK