US court overturns J&J's Zytiga patent in combination with prednisone

A court in New Jersey has invalidated Johnson & Johnson’s patent on the prostate cancer drug Zytiga when used in combination with the steroid prednisone. While Johnson and Johnson suggested that the combo was original, the generic drug makers argued that it was not a new idea.

US District Judge Kevin McNulty ruled that, prednisone’s ability to curtail the side effects of zytiga and reduce pain in cancer patients "would furnish a powerful motivation" to combine the two drugs and as such: "That road led straight to the practice of the patented method."

The decision has come after a number of pharma firms, including Teva, Mylan and Amneal Pharmaceuticals submitted FDA filings to market generic versions of Johnson and Johnson’s drug.

Johnson & Johnson have said that it objects to the court’s decision and that they plan to appeal. "We strongly disagree with the court’s ruling and will continue to defend the patent. We plan to appeal the decision," Caroline Pavis, a spokeswoman for J&J’s Janssen unit, said.