Celgene settles litigation with Natco Pharma

Celgene has settled its litigation with Natco Pharma over the patents for Revlimid. This could now create the opportunity for increased generic competition for the blockbuster drug years early.

Revlimid is a blood cancer treatment, which currently makes up more than 60 percent of Celgene's annual revenue. In 2015 it has made the company an estimated 5.7 billion dollars from sales.

Celgene will permit India’s Natco, and its US partner Arrow, which is owned by Allergan subsidiary Watson Laboratories, to sell generic Revlimid until the April 2027 expiration of Celgene's last-to-expire patent, with limited volumes allowed on the US market from March 2022.

Natco's ability to market Revlimid in the US will be contingent on its obtaining approval of an Abbreviated New Drug Application from the FDA.