European Patent Office Decides BMS Cancer-Drug Patent is Invalid

The European Patent Office (EPO) has upheld a decision that found a patent for Bristol-Myers Squibb’s (BMS) anti-cancer drug, Sprycel (dasatinib), to be invalid. Sprycel, a leading drug in BMS’s oncology portfolio, had 2016 sales of $1.8 billion.

Sprycel is a kinase inhibitor indicated for treating Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+)chronic myeloid leukemia (CML); chronic, accelerated, or myeloid or lymphoid blast phase Ph+ CML; and Ph+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The EPO upheld a decision with regard to European Patent Number 1169038, the composition of matter patent covering dasatinib, the active ingredient in Sprycel. The patent covers cyclic protein tyrosine kinase inhibitors and related salts, pharmaceutical compositions containing these compounds, and methods of using these compounds to treat protein tyrosine kinase-associated disorders such as immunologic and oncologic disorders.

This decision by the EPO does not impact BMS’ patents outside of the European Union or other Sprycel-related patents, according to BMS.

Source: Bristol-Myers Squibb 

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