Novartis’ Sandoz got a nod from an Food and Drug Administration advisory committee Wednesday for its biosimilar copy of Amgen Inc.’s blockbuster rheumatoid arthritis drug Enbrel. The unanimous vote in favor of the drug’s approval also supported approval for all of the conditions Enbrel treats, which also includes plaque psoriasis. Biosimilars, a new wave of drugs that hold cost-saving promise, began receiving FDA approval last year, but their path to pharmacies has been slowed by intellectual property disputes. An Amgen patent for Enbrel protects the drug through 2028, which could expose competitors on the way to market to litigation. This week has been an unusually busy one for biosimilars, with a biosimilar copy of AbbVie’s Humira receiving a go-ahead from an FDA advisory committee on Tuesday.
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