At EPO, Patent Oppositions To High-Priced Gilead Hepatitis C Drug Pile Up

According to a public health advocacy group, there are now as many as 10 oppositions filed at the European Patent Office against the Gilead company’s patent on sofosbuvir, a treatment for hepatitis C. The group has compiled a table showing the filings with links to the documents.

According to Médecins du Monde (MDM), prices of the pharmaceutical range over 40,000 euros for the 12-week course in European countries.

“While using sofosbuvir to treat hepatitis C represents an important step forward, the molecule itself is not sufficiently innovative to warrant a patent, MDM argues on its website. “If successful, it can encourage competition from generic versions of sofosbuvir, which can drive price reductions closer to the cost of production. According to experts, this cost for sofosbuvir may be as low as $101 USD for a 12-week course.”

As of presstime, US company Gilead and the EPO had not been contacted for comment.

Table of the 10 opposition field against Gilead’s patent EP 2203462 on sofosbuvir at the EPO (with filing deadline expired). Source: Médecins du Monde

Opponent Attorney Date Notice of opposition Médecin du Monde Lionel Vial 10/02/2015 https://register.epo.org/application?documentId=EW5TA5RB1479FI4&number=EP08732818&lng=en&npl=false (Cabinet Lionel Vial) Ellis IP Ltd Michael Ellis 19/02/2015 https://register.epo.org/application?documentId=EW662W5H6399FI4&number=EP08732818&lng=en&npl=false (Probable anonymous opposition) (Ellis IP Ltd) Holm Herbert Fleicher Sabine Herz 19/02/2015 https://register.epo.org/application?documentId=EW65NGQV8362FI4&number=EP08732818&lng=en&npl=false (Probable anonymous opposition) (F&E patents) Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd Neil Nachshen 20/02/2015 https://register.epo.org/application?documentId=EW7BO2614735FI4&number=EP08732818&lng=en&npl=false (D Young & Co LLP) Generics [UK] Ltd (trading as Mylan) Richard Gillard 20/02/2015 https://register.epo.org/application?documentId=EW7AK16O9680FI4&number=EP08732818&lng=en&npl=false (Elkington and Fife LLP) Pharmaceutical Works Polpharma S.A. Richard Gillard 20/02/2015 https://register.epo.org/application?documentId=EW7AKT8S0332FI4&number=EP08732818&lng=en&npl=false (Elkington and Fife LLP) IPS Casalonga & Partners 23/02/2015 https://register.epo.org/application?documentId=EW7P61OB8137FI4&number=EP08732818&lng=en&npl=false (Probable anonymous opposition) ZBM Patents ZBM Patents – Zea, Barlocci & Markvardsen 23/02/2015 https://register.epo.org/application?documentId=EW7RCZRF0237FI4&number=EP08732818&lng=en&npl=false (Probable anonymous opposition) STADA Arzneimittel AG Alexander Wittkopp 23/02/2015 https://register.epo.org/application?documentId=EW7Q453K3190FI4&number=EP08732818&lng=en&npl=false (Maiwald Patentanwalts GmbH) Actavis Group PTC ehf Martin Huenges 23/05/2015 https://register.epo.org/application?documentId=EW7RT2U28883FI4&number=EP08732818&lng=en&npl=false (Maiwald Patentanwalts GmbH)