The History Behind The Drug-Device Combos Targeted By FTC

Of the 16 products whose Orange Book patent listings have been challenged by the FTC, six have no generic competitors and two faced first generic launches this year. A review of their patent and pricing battles shows the difficulties in developing generics for these complex drugs.

Inhalers
Inhalers whose patents were deemed improperly listed in the Orange Book by the Federal Trade Commission have retained market dominance with their device components. • Source: Shutterstock

The US Federal Trade Commission’s letters to drug companies asserting they had improperly listed patents in the Food and Drug Administration’s Orange Book surprised many in the pharma space as the patents all pertain to drug-device combination products that have been on the market a long time. But a look at their history reveals how many of these complex products have avoided generic competition and retained blockbuster status.

Of the 16 products cited by the FTC, six have no generic competition and two faced generic competitors in the...

Pink Sheet Podcast

Learn what's happening at the US FDA. On the go.

Derrick Gingery and the team bring you a weekly "Drug Fix".

More from Generics

Philippines Seeks Feedback On Plan To Recognize BE Studies Under ASEAN Deal

The Philippines medicines regulator explains how it intends to implement the ASEAN mutual recognition agreement under which member states have committed to accept bioequivalence study reports for generics issued by approved BE centers.

Finance Watch: Many Mega-Rounds, Some Smaller VC Deals, But Few In The Middle-Test-Sabbah

 
• By 

Private Company Edition: June’s eight $100m-plus venture capital rounds already outpace the seven each raised in March, April and May, including €255m ($274.2m) for ITM and $200m for Upstream, but while there were five $25m or less VC financings during the past week, mid-sized deals were lacking.

Novartis Takes Fight To The FDA After US Entresto Generic Approval

 
• By 

Novartis continues to fight tooth and nail to protect its $3bn Entresto brand in the US following the latest FDA approval of a generic version.

Covid

More from Biosimilars & Generics

Facility Deficiencies Drive Rising CRL Rates For CDER Biologics

 

A US FDA analysis found that facility inspection issues were the fastest growing factor in the recent rise of complete response letters for biologics licensing applications, in part reflecting the limitations of single-product inspections at contract facilities manufacturing multiple products.

Novartis Takes Fight To The FDA After US Entresto Generic Approval

 
• By 

Novartis continues to fight tooth and nail to protect its $3bn Entresto brand in the US following the latest FDA approval of a generic version.

EU Biosimilar Filings, Opinions And Approvals

 
• By 

A list of EU biosimilar filings, CHMP opinions and EU marketing authorizations, including details of the biosimilar company, the brand name/INN, indication(s), the reference product/company, and the date and type of event.