In an unusual move, a Moscow court has granted a compulsory license to a domestic company that plans to make and sell a version of a best-selling Celgene (CELG) medicine. And tucked into the decision was a reference to promoting public health, a stance that was reiterated this week by a Russian delegate to a United Nations forum on patents, according to one attendee.
At issue is Revlimid, a blockbuster cancer drug that generated $8.2 billion in worldwide sales in 2017 for Celgene. The biotech last year filed a lawsuit against a Russian company called Nativa to ban production and sales of a copycat version. But last month an arbitration court sided with Nativa, which plans to sell its version for 20 percent to 66 percent less, depending upon the dose, a company spokeswoman wrote us.
A Celgene spokesman wrote us that the biotech appealed the decision and so the license will not go into effect until the matter is resolved.
About the Author Reprints
May I observe that this is just another item to be brought up with Vladamir next week in Finland? Not that it will be ……
I expect more positive news like these in the future from Celgene. https://news.alphastreet.com/celgene-gets-a-booster-shot-from-recent-positive-clinical-trial-results/