Novartis Takes Gilenya Patent Case to Supreme Court

Novartis has asked the Supreme Court to consider its patent complaint for its blockbuster multiple sclerosis drug Gilenya (fingolimod) following a federal appeals court decision in June 2022 in favor of generic competitor HEC Pharm.

The appeals court decision “wrongly deprived Novartis of its patent on a groundbreaking new method for treating multiple sclerosis,” Novartis said. First approved by the FDA in 2010, Gilenya is indicated for treatment of relapsing forms of the disease.

A lot is at stake for Novartis in the litigation as Gilenya brought in nearly $2.8 billion in global sales in 2021.