Roche Sues Biogen Over Contested Arthritis Drug

Roche and two of its subsidiaries sued biotech company Biogen in Massachusetts federal court, accusing its proposed similar version of Roche's blockbuster rheumatoid arthritis drug Actemra of infringing several of their patents, Blake Brittain reported for Reuters’ Breakingviews.

Photo Insert: Switzerland-based Roche reported that it earned more than 2.7 billion Swiss francs -- over $3.1 billion based on current exchange rates -- from Actemra sales worldwide last year.

Roche, Genentech, and Chugai Pharmaceutical told the court that Biogen's biosimilar would infringe patents related to making and using their biologic drug.

A spokesperson for Roche said the company believes biosimilar competition "has an important role to play in supporting the financial sustainability of healthcare systems while making headroom for innovation."

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Actemra in 2010 to treat rheumatoid arthritis and has since approved it for other uses including to treat hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Switzerland-based Roche reported that it earned more than 2.7 billion Swiss francs -- over $3.1 billion based on current exchange rates -- from Actemra sales worldwide last year, down 22% from 2021 based on decreased demand for the drug as a COVID-19 treatment.

Biosimilars are versions of biologic drugs comparable to generics of traditional small-molecule drugs. Unlike those drugs, complex biologic drugs made from living cells cannot be copied exactly.

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