Patent appeal positive for Gilenya extending exclusivity to 2027. - Novartis.

Novartis has successfully defeated an inter partes review challenge to a key patent for its multiple sclerosis drug Gilenya. An appeals board of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ruled that the Gilenya patent is valid until December 2027, helping to delay generic competition .

The favorable decision has implications for both Novartis, as well as the overall MS market, including companies like Celgene and Biogen. Due to an IPR decision in 2017, investors initially expected generic versions of Gilenya to enter the market by August 2019, which would have posed a competitive challenge to branded MS drugs.