BackBoard rules against Bayer in cancer drug patent case
The decision delivers a blow to global drug makers’ monopolies on high-priced medicines
Premium(Last year, the Indian patents office, under a mechanism called “compulsory licence”, allowed Natco Pharma to sell generic Nexavar at `8,800 for a month’s dose—a fraction of Bayer’s price of `280,000.)
Chennai: An Indian patent appeals board dismissed on Monday Bayer AG’s petition against a government decision to allow a domestic company to sell cheap copycat versions of cancer drug Nexavar, delivering a blow to global drug makers’ monopolies on high-priced medicines.
Last year, the Indian patents office, under a mechanism called “compulsory licence", allowed Natco Pharma to sell generic Nexavar at ₹ 8,800 for a month’s dose—a fraction of Bayer’s price of ₹ 280,000.
Bayer challenged this decision with the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) in the southern city of Chennai.
Although dismissing the petition, the board did order Natco Pharma to pay a royalty of 7% on sales of generic Nexavar to Bayer, an increase from the 6% royalty that had earlier been set.
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