Copaxone @ the US Supreme Court

[Marco]

Teva is fighting against the generic form of Copaxone. I won't really comment about it now -- here's the link:



http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/01/bu...case.html?_r=0

[its2much]

Teva Lawsuit

Yes, they're trying to keep their patent for the 20mg.
The 40 mg is for 4 weeks, not one month, so you need 13 boxes/refills for a year with 12 boxes/refills for the 20 mg is 360 days.
Looks like anyone who wants to remain on the original medication better switch to the 40mg. Many have posted here there will be no co-pay if you change. More important, less injections is much better!

[Marco]

Copaxone - Generic Update

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts on Friday declined to temporarily block a lower court ruling that opens the world's bestselling multiple sclerosis drug to competition from generic rivals next month.The Supreme Court has agreed to consider the case, but arguments won't take place until its new term begins in October and it could be next year before a decision is reached. Teva said it would suffer irreparable harm if the appeals court decision was not postponed. In a one-page ruling, Roberts said he was not convinced Teva would suffer such harm.

If Teva ultimately prevails in the case, Roberts said, the company would be able to recover damages from the generic rivals for past patent infringement. Copaxone brought the company $3.2 billion in U.S. sales last year. The new Copaxone-40 dosage has patent protection until 2030 and that's why Teva is feverishly trying to get users to switch ASAP.

[its2much]

So if patients are forced

to switch to the generic 20mg and the hearing/decision/ruling isn't until next year, does it really matter at that point? Won't patients already be on the generic?

[its2much]

PS - The Federal Courts were

open on Good Friday???

[its2much]

Never Mind

my previous two posts - MS cognitive impairments were at work during those posts.....

[Marco]

to switch to the generic 20mg and the hearing/decision/ruling isn't until next year, does it really matter at that point? Won't patients already be on the generic?

Yes, some patients may be on generic Copaxone. If Teva wins their court case the manufacturers of the generic 20 mg Copaxone will have to pay damages to Teva for patent infringement. If Teva loses their court case the generic manufacturers will ratchet up their programs. Teva is hoping the legal delays will give them time to move more people to 40 mg. Patient outrage is expected to prevent insurance companies from moving a patient from 40mg Copaxone back to 20 mg generic. Once a patient moves to 3x/week shots it's going to be hard to get them to go back to 7x/week.

Their litigious nature of Teva may also prevent generic manufacturers from going into mass production for fear of punitive damages. Teva has a long history of forcing generics to the market and now when Copaxone is at stake they are fighting it tooth and nail. What amazes me is Teva doesn't seem to be losing any "good will" with users that are often skeptical of "Big Pharma."

[misslux]

What amazes me is Teva doesn't seem to be losing any "good will" with users that are often skeptical of "Big Pharma."

Generally speaking, many people don't care about the big picture unless or until they are personally affected.

[Jules A]

More important, less injections is much better!

I hope you are correct but do not feel the data supports this long term just yet.

[Mable]

The reason I'm not feeling the outrage is because I don't expect most of us to be on Copaxone more than a few more years anyway.

I do well on Copaxone, but I'm eager to get Lemtrada once it gets approved (it's been resubmitted to the FDA) and I can find a doctor who will give it to me. It slows brain atrophy to normal levels, seems to stop disease activity in most recipients, and I think we're about to hear that patients who get it early enough in their disease don't go on to secondary progression. It's safety profile with monthly monitoring looks good too.

I think over time, offering the effective drugs (Tysabri, Lemtrada, Ocrelizumab, etc.) early will be the norm--the same as you would to a cancer patient. I don't see much of a role for glaterimer acetate in that future.

[its2much]

Let's Hope

those new medications come with health insurance approval and co-pay assistance to ALL!

[Jules A]

I'm also not dead set against a generic version of Copaxone as with all other diseases in most cases the generic version is considered adequate and frankly I hate that my insurance company has to pay the huge cost of Copaxone.

[MyGirlsMom]

This is an interesting thread! Thank you Marco for starting it and for the rest of you for chiming in.

I too worry about the efficacy of Copaxone 3 times per week, but I am having such trouble with available locations to inject, I had already reduced my injections down before increasing the dose to 40 mgs. I see this as my way of staying on a DMT. I am not thrilled with the idea of Interferons and frankly, if I couldn't take Copaxone, I am not quite emotionally ready to jump on to Tysabri (JC+), Gileynia or Techfidera...too high of a risk or side effect profile for me at this point in my life. (working mom with elementary/middle school children).

Personally, I did not like the risk of generics as I have had trouble in the past. In fact, one time I had a very bad reaction to a generic medication, after previously being on the brand, and will now only take the brand of that drug despite the higher cost. It is not generics per se, as I think if I had taken that med as a generic and changed to another generic by a different manufacturer, the result could still have happened. Branded or generic, when you change manufacturer, the drugs are not exactly the same. IMHO.

It is discouraging that pharma doesn't have our, the patient, best interest in mind...however, these companies are publicaly traded and the mission is to generate returns for their shareholders. That said, I do believe that there are many passionate people working behind the scenes at these companies that are dedicated to what they do and the difference that they and their company can do to help people with MS.

Overall, I am grateful to be on 40 mg 3x per week Copaxone. I hope it is working.....I am keeping the faith!

[onlyairfare]

I decided to go back on Copaxone after about 6 years off it, and when I saw my doctor yesterday he said I should take 20 mg daily because it works better than the 40 mg three times a week!

I hadn't read that anywhere, but he is an MS specialist, and I didn't mind the daily shots all that much, so I guess I will go back to that.

I had quit Copaxone due to the high co-pay (25% or $800 per month though I think my coverage is better now), and I failed miserably on Gilenya and Aubagio due to side effects, and I am JCV+ so not Tysabri eligible.

[4boysmom]

I found Mable's comments interesting. I went to Copaxone after having issues with Avonex, Rebif, and Tysabri. I was either allergic or developed NABs in the case of Tysabri. I did each of those drugs one full year before changing. I have been on Copaxone for 5 years now.

I like being able to only inject 3 times a week. I won't switch to another med unless I have more problems. I can't afford to develop allergies to another med.

Having said that, if my insurance changes or something happens that it costs a ton more, I may just go off meds all together. I won't go broke just paying for meds.