AbbVie, Amgen Settle on Humira Biosimilar Litigation

The intellectual property-based litigation between biotechnology company Amgen and pharmaceutical company AbbVie over a proposed biosimilar product has been resolved.

According to a statement from AbbVie Thursday morning, the company will grant Amgen a non-exclusive license to AbbVie's adalimumab (HUMIRA) related intellectual property. The result will be Amgevita, a biosimilar treatment for forms of arthritis, psoriasis, and Crohn's disease.

The license will begin on January 31, 2024 in the US, on October 16, 2018 in most European countries, and on various dates in the countries wherein AbbVie has intellectual property. As a result of the licensing, Amgen will pay royalties, with exact terms remaining confidential between parties.

Ongoing litigation between the companies over the rival biosimilar will be dismissed, and Amgen has acknowledged AbbVie's valid intellectual property related to Humira, according to AbbVie.

Laura Schumacher, executive vice president of external affairs, general counsel, and corporate secretary at AbbVie, said the company is please to reached a settlement with Amgen which "respects the breadth and strength of our intellectual property portfolio."

"As an innovation driven bio-pharmaceutical company, we believe intellectual property is essential to protect the investment in science and advance novel cures for the toughest health challenges," Schumacher said. "In reaching this agreement, we have achieved the balance between protecting investment in innovation and providing access to biosimilars, which will play an important role in our health care system."

A press release regarding the settlement was made available.