BRIEF—Indivior slumps after negative patent ruling

UK pharma group Indivior saw its shares plunge as much as 20% to 326.20 pence yesterday, after a US court ruled that US firm Alvogen’s generic drug does not infringe its patents on its top-selling opioid addiction treatment Suboxone film (buprenorphine and naloxone).

Indivior chief executive Shaun Thaxter said: “We will appeal this ruling and continue to vigorously defend our intellectual property,” adding: “We remain confident in Indivior’s long-term outlook and vision.”

Indivior has two more patents it has asserted against Alvogen, which have yet to go to court, meaning that the US firm cannot immediately launch its generic, as can’t India’s Ranbaxy Laboratories, which also prevailed in a patent dispute in September last year.

The company’s shares recovered partially, trading down 5.5% by midday at 386 pence.