Patent court to review Alexion’s Soliris patents on Amgen challenge: filings

(Reuters) – The U.S. patent office will review three patents on Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc’s drug Soliris, after rival Amgen Inc filed a petition challenging them, court filings showed on Friday.

The Patent Trial and Appeal Board, a court run by the U.S. patent office, said it was instituting an inter-party review on the patents.

Amgen is contesting the issuance of new Soliris patents in the United States that would extend the drug’s market exclusivity to 2027.

Soliris is approved for two rare blood disorders, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome. It brought in sales of $980.8 million for Alexion in the quarter ended June 30 and accounted for nearly 82% of the drugmaker’s total revenue.

The drugmaker is trying to retain its stronghold in the PNH market and its Soliris-successor Ultomiris won U.S. approval for last year.

SVB Leerink analyst Geoffrey Porges said in a note a early launch of a cheaper rival for Soliris is likely to have an impact of $11 per share on Alexion.

Shares of Alexion fell nearly 8%, or about $9, to $103.5 and those of Amgen rose 1% to $209.17 in early trading.