Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries is hoping to block a migraine medication made by Eli Lilly from entering the market.
According to a report in Reuters, Israeli-based Teva filed a patent infringement lawsuit in federal court in Boston against the American pharmaceutical company. The suit alleges that Lilly’s migraine treatment, galcanezumab infringes on five of Teva’s patents.
Teva’s suit claims that Lilly knew about the patents covering Teva’s drug fremanezumab, but was nevertheless working to gain FDA approval for galcanezumab.
Teva is hope to win damages and an injunction that will stop Lilly from manufacturing or selling galcanezumab.
Several pharmaceutical companies have been racing to develop new drugs to treat migraines, which currently affect about 38 million Americans. The newest class of treatments target a neurotransmitter called the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGPR).
According to estimates by Evercore ISI, the potential market for CPGR drugs is $8-$10 billion.
In addition to the medications like fremanezumab and galcanezumab, Amgen has also developed a CPGR drug called erenumab.
Filed Under: Drug Discovery
