The Enbrel Patent Thicket: A Three-Decade Monopoly (2012-2029)
Amgen's Enbrel (etanercept) was set to lose its original US patent in October 2012. Two new patents secured after Amgen acquired Immunex extended real exclusivity to November 22, 2028 and April 24, 2029, confirmed via court records after Amgen litigation against Sandoz was upheld through the Federal Circuit and denied Supreme Court review. A separate FTC antitrust case scrutinizing the underlying Amgen-Roche licensing deal remains open, with a motion to dismiss denied in October 2025. Meanwhile, Cipla has sold a biosimilar version, Etacept, in India since 2013, roughly 15 years ahead of the US market.
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We track expirations like this continuously
This is one drug, picked for today's post. A Portfolio Retainer watches an entire portfolio or compound class on an ongoing basis and flags new matching filings as they publish.