AstraZeneca’s cancer drug Calquence, has weathered a significant challenge by dodging a review by the Patent and Trial Appeal Board (PTAB). Calquence, a pharmaceutical drug that has accounted for more than $2 billion in sales for AstraZeneca the previous year, is clearly a high-valued asset for the international pharmaceutical company.
The legal confrontation had commenced with Sandoz Inc., a generic pharmaceutical company, which appealed for a review of the patent covering the cancer drug. Nevertheless, the PTAB has ultimately decided against the review. A pivotal turning point for the case, this decision has thereby secured AstraZenca’s exclusive rights over the manufacture and distribution of Calquence.
Providing further insights, Law360 reported that these sort of disputes are not infrequent in the pharmaceutical world, where the stakes are invariably high due to the valued patents for life-altering drugs. In the broader context, this decision could possibly deter future patent reviews on similarly high-grossing medicinal drugs.
It should be noted that challenges to pharmaceutical patents have the potential to affect not only competing pharmaceutical companies but also the world’s healthcare industry as it strives to deliver the most effective and trailblazing solutions for patients. With Calquence’s place in the market ascertained, attention inevitably turns towards the response from Sandoz Inc. and other potential challengers.