Novartis wins UK High Court ruling to protect Entresto patent

The UK High Court has ruled in favor of Novartis, upholding the patent protection and supplementary protection certificate (SPC) for its heart failure medication, Entresto. The decision follows a legal challenge by Accord Healthcare, a subsidiary of Intas Pharmaceuticals, which sought to invalidate the patent to facilitate the launch of a generic version of the drug in the UK.

Mr. Justice Meade found that the relevant Novartis patent was valid while in force and that Accord’s proposed generic product would infringe upon these rights. While the underlying European patent for the sacubitril and valsartan combination expired in 2023, the associated UK SPC provides additional protection until 2028.

The ruling represents a setback for Accord’s plans to enter the UK market with a competing product later this year. Entresto is a major commercial asset for Novartis, accounting for approximately 10% of the company’s total sales.