GlaxoSmithKline loses fight to defend Flixonase patent

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has lost its legal fight to stop generic versions of Flixonase from being sold in the US.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a generic version of the nasal spray manufactured by Roxane Laboratories ? part of German firm Boehringer Ingelheim – in February.

GSK had sought an injunction against the marketing of the generic, but announced on Tuesday that it had been thrown out. The decision comes as a blow to the firm’s sales, with Flixonase generating almost $900 million in the US alone. However, GSK said that the generic effect had already been counted into its forecasts.

Speaking to Bloomberg, spokesperson Mary Anne Rhyne said that the company will not appeal the decision.

“He was giving the FDA an abundant amount of deference on any matter of science and we weren’t able to persuade him that this warranted intervention,” she said.

She added that it will be unlikely that Flixonase’s sales would recover from generic versions. “From a practical standpoint, once generics have hit the market, it’s virtually impossible to restore our sales.”

Flixonase, known as Flonase in the US, is proscribed to treat inflammation in the nose and reduce symptoms such as a runny nose.

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