NVS Novartis AG

   By Ed Frankl 
 

Novartis AG said Tuesday that a U.S. appeals court has upheld the exclusivity of its multiple-sclerosis blockbuster drug Gilenya.

In August 2020, a U.S. federal court in Delaware blocked Chinese drugmaker HEC Pharma Co. from selling a generic version of the drug until the expiration of the Gilenya patent in December 2027, the Swiss company said.

"This decision confirms the validity of the patent and allows that injunction to remain in place," Novartis said.

"With this decision, Novartis confirms that it expects no generic versions of Gilenya in the U.S. market for at least the next two years," it said.

Novartis has already entered into settlement agreements with filers for a generic version of Gilenya, though they will not be able to launch a version before an agreed-upon date prior to December 2027.

The potential generic entry date is confidential, the Basel-based company said.

Write to Ed Frankl at edward.frankl@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 04, 2022 02:07 ET (07:07 GMT)

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