Sandoz, a Swiss generic drug manufacturer, has filed an antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. They are accusing Amgen of illegally maintaining its market dominance of Enbrel (etanercept).
Sandoz claims Amgen blocked competition from cheaper biosimilars, including Sandoz’s Erelzi. Sandoz alleges Amgen did this by unlawfully buying and using specific patents to solidify its dominant market position.
Amgen did not respond to requests for comments.
Sandoz’s lawsuit, filed on Friday, alleges Amgen used a “thicket of patents” to protect its Enbrel monopoly until 2029. Sandoz claims this violates U.S. federal antitrust law.
Filed in a Norfolk, Virginia, federal court, the lawsuit accuses Amgen of “reaping billions in profits while denying purchasers and patients access to the lower prices they would have paid in a competitive market, where Sandoz was able to launch.”
Sandoz states in its lawsuit that it “continues to lose out on millions of dollars in sales each month that it remains sidelined by Amgen’s illegal activity.”
In 2024, Enbrel generated $3.3 billion in U.S. revenue, according to Sandoz. Etanercept treats inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.
The FDA approved Sandoz’s Erelzi in 2016, the same year Sandoz launched the medicine in Europe.
Sandoz seeks an injunction. They want to prevent Amgen from using patent rights to block biosimilar competition and allow Sandoz to launch Erelzi quickly. Sandoz also seeks damages.
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