PATENT INFRINGEMENT
Amgen wins order to stop sales of rival cholesterol fighter
A US judge orders Sanofi and Regeneron to halt Praluent sales because the drug infringes patents on Amgen's medication
Washington — Amgen won a court ruling to block rivals Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals from selling their cholesterol-lowering drug Praluent in the US because it infringes Amgen’s patents on the medication. US district judge Sue Robinson in Delaware ordered Sanofi and Regeneron to halt Praluent sales because the drug infringes patents on its Repatha cholesterol medication. The order is a setback for the losing drug makers since analysts expect Praluent to generate $2bn in sales by 2020. Amgen shares rose 5.2% to $161 at 4.50pm in New York after markets closed on Friday. Regeneron shares fell 1.1% to $376.61 in late trading before shares were halted. The ban takes effect in 30 days to give Sanofi time to ask an appeals court to lift the order or to "encourage the parties to reach an appropriate business resolution", the judge said. Otherwise, the patents expire in 2029, according to Aude Gerspacher, an analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence. Without the sales ban, Amgen would face a...
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