Pfizer Sets The Stage For A Biosimilar Showdown Over Exclusive Contracts

Sep 20 2017

Listen to this article

Pfizer filed a lawsuit against J&J over its efforts to block sales of Pfizer's biosimilar Inflectra through exclusive contracting for Remicade. The suit claims J&J coerced payers by vowing to withhold all Remicade rebates if any Inflectra is reimbursed. J&J says Pfizer has failed to show the value of Inflectra.

Gavel_1200x675

A lawsuit filed by Pfizer Inc. against Johnson & Johnson over its defensive Remicade (infliximab) contracting will be a significant commercial test for the US biosimilar market. The lawsuit could have implications for how far brand manufacturers can go when it comes to protecting their blockbuster franchises through payer contracts, and whether or not biosimilars will have the chance to make substantial inroads in competitive markets.

Pfizer announced Sept. 20 that it filed suit against J&J in the US District Court of Eastern Pennsylvania over what...

More from Legal & IP

Scrip-Business (Free-1): Top-Selling Drugs 2024: Keytruda, Ozempic And Dupixent Dominate
Jun 14 2025
• By Nabil
Merck’s immuno-oncology blockbuster was the world’s best-selling drugs by revenues for the second year in a row, with an almost $12bn lead over its closest rival, Novo Nordisk’s GLP-1 drug Ozempic.
MSN Put On Hold As DC Appeals Court Freezes Generic Entresto Approval
Aug 21 2024
• By Dean Rudge
MSN Laboratories will be unable to move forward – for now – with any potential ‘at-risk’ launch for its generic version of Novartis’ Entresto blockbuster in the US after the originator won a stay on the firm’s ANDA pending appeal from the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
Investors Hit The Alarm Bells As Indivior Issues Profit Warning
Jul 09 2024
• By Kevin Grogan
The UK group remains confident that the scale of the US opioid epidemic, driven by misuse of fentanyl, still represents a considerable opportunity but investors have reacted nervously to lower revenues coming from Sublocade.
SCOTUS' Mifepristone Decision Sets High Bar For US FDA Suits
Jun 13 2024
• By Sarah Karlin-Smith
The unanimous decision that the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine lacks standing to challenge the FDA’s relaxation of the abortion pill REMS leaves unclear whether the court would have deferred to the agency’s expertise on the merits.

More from Business

How A New Healthcare Dialogue Is Driving Market Access In Mexico
Nov 06 2025
Companies stand a better chance of securing public reimbursement in Mexico for innovative medicines if they understand changing approaches to healthcare. The shift means the emergence of managed entry agreements and a focus on economic impact, explains AMIIF, Mexico's research-based pharmaceutical industry association.
How Novartis Is Elevating CVD Outcomes, Driving ‘Personalized Access’ In APMA
Oct 16 2025
Novartis’s APMA chief outlines the company’s tailored approach to deliver long-term outcomes, novel access solutions via innovative financing options and shape the CVD disease ecosystem in the extraordinarily diverse region. Partnering to build AI infrastructure is another key prong.
India Rare Diseases: Court Shows Path For Policy Action, Funding, Price Issues-- Test-2
Oct 14 2025
A court order encompassing funding, drug pricing, clinical trials and overall policy implementation aspects is expected to bring about a paradigm shift in the treatment of rare diseases in India. Sarepta, Roche and Sanofi are among the key players that have been part of pricing discussions.