Yesterday, the U.S. Senate passed S. 3560, the “QI Program Supplemental Funding Act of 2008.” Section 4 of the bill would amend the FDC Act to add new subsection 505(v) – “Antibiotic Drugs Submitted Before November 21, 1997” – to create Hatch-Waxman benefits for so-called …
Over the past several months, FDA has responded to or companies have submitted citizen petitions to FDA requesting that the Agency refrain from approving ANDAs for generic drugs with less than complete labeling – so-called “skinny labeling.” That got us thinking – what is the …
On September 12, 2008, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia heard oral argument and ruled in Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. v. Leavitt, which concerns the availability of 180-day exclusivity for a generic version of Janssen Phaemaceutica’s schizophrenia drug RISPERDAL (risperidone) Tablets …
2009 is shaping up to be a big year for debate on Follow-On Biologics (“FOBs”). Earlier this year, Representative Anna Eshoo introduced FOB legislation and the House Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Health requested comment on various FOB issues. The legislation and comments submitted …
Under the FDC Act and FDA’s implementing regulations, a sponsor may qualify for a 3-year period of market exclusivity for a “change” to an approved drug product if the application contains: (1) “reports of new clinical investigations (other than bioavailability studies);” (2) that were “essential …
As we previously reported, in August 2007, FDA issued a letter and started a docket requesting public comment on a variety of 3-year exclusivity issues concerning generic versions of Shire U.S. Inc.’s PROAMATINE (midodrine hydrochloride) Tablets. FDA approved PROAMATINE in September 1996 under the Agency’s …
In the second lawsuit in as many months, the Patent and Trademark Office (“PTO”) has been sued over a decision to deny a Patent Term Extension (“PTE”). As we previously reported, Wyeth sued the PTO and FDA in June 2008 concerning the appropriate PTE regulatory …
An interesting issue is percolating at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (“PTO”) concerning Patent Term Extensions (“PTEs”). We hinted at this issue in our recent post concerning the PTO’s decision to deny a PTE with respect to U.S. Patent #5,674,860 (“the ‘860 patent”), which …
In June, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (“PTO”) determined that AstraZeneca’s U.S. Patent No. 5,674,860 (“the ‘860 patent”), which covers the drug product SYMBICORT (budesonide; formoterol fumarate dihydrate) Inhalation Aerosol, is ineligible for a Patent Term Extension (“PTE”). The PTO’s decision is important in …
On June 23, 2008, Representative William Delahunt (D-MA) introduced, and the U.S. House of Representatives quickly passed by voice vote, H.R. 6344 – the Responsive Government Act of 2008. The 12-page bill includes several provisions, including the latest iteration of the so-called “Dog Ate My …
On June 6, 2008, Wyeth Holdings Corporation and its Fort Dodge Animal Health Division (collectively “Wyeth”) filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against FDA and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (“PTO”) requesting declaratory and injunctive relief with …
Title XI (§ 1112) of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (“MMA”) requires pharmaceutical applicants (both brand and generic) to file with the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) and the Assistant Attorney General certain agreements executed on or after January 7, 2004. …
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International’s (“Valeant’s”) EFUDEX (fluorouracil) Topical Cream, 5%, (also known as 5-FU) is a locally-acting antineoplastic drug product FDA first approved in July 1970 for the topical treatment of multiple actinic or solar keratoses (“AK”). In 1976, FDA approved the drug for a second …
We previously reported (here and here) on FDA’s efforts to resolve 180-day exclusivity forfeiture issues concerning generic versions of Bayer Pharmaceuticals’ (“Bayer’s”) diabetes drug PRECOSE (acarbose) Tablets by establishing a public docket. (FDA has also taken similar actions to resolve 180-day exclusivity issues concerning ramipril …
On May 7, 2008, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is scheduled to hear oral argument in Lupin Ltd. v. Abbott Labs. This is a patent infringement action concerning U.S. Patent #4,935,507 (“the ‘507 patent”) with respect to Abbott’s antibiotic drug product …
