Challenge to Novo Nordisk Obesity Drug Patents Rejected in US
October 03 2023 - 7:35AM
Dow Jones News
By Dominic Chopping
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Monday rejected a
challenge to two Novo Nordisk patents covering the active
ingredient in the company's blockbuster weight-loss and obesity
drugs Wegovy and Ozempic.
Generic drug maker Mylan Pharmaceuticals had disputed the
validity of the patents for the semaglutide compound, claiming that
its development was obvious as it is based on existing diabetes
treatment liraglutide, and therefore shouldn't be possible to
protect under patent.
However, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board rejected the claim,
saying Mylan failed to "show sufficiently that it would have been
obvious to modify liraglutide with a reasonable expectation of
success so as to arrive at semaglutide."
Viatris-owned Mylan has also challenged a third patent that
relates to the method of administering the drugs, with a decision
yet to be made by the board.
The success of weight-loss drug Wegovy and Ozempic has seen the
Danish company's stock price surge to make it Europe's most
valuable company. Both drugs share the same active
ingredient--semaglutide--so although Ozempic was developed to treat
diabetes, it is also being used for weight-loss.
Novo Nordisk has filed several U.S. patent infringement
lawsuits, including against Viatris, with companies hoping to
manufacture generic versions of the drugs.
Novo Nordisk and Viatris didn't immediately respond to a request
for comment.
Write to Dominic Chopping at dominic.chopping@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
October 03, 2023 07:20 ET (11:20 GMT)
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