PTAB institutes Coherus' IPR challenge to Humira

Coherus BioSciences Inc. (NASDAQ:CHRS) gained $2.58 (16%) to $18.85 on Tuesday after the U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board instituted its inter partes review petition challenging a patent covering autoimmune drug Humira adalimumab from AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV). Coherus' CHS-1420, a biosimilar of Humira, is in Phase III testing for psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Coherus is challenging U.S. Patent No. 8,889,135, which covers methods of treating RA with a 40 mg subcutaneous dose of an anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha antibody administered bi-weekly. PTAB determined that Coherus has a reasonable likelihood of demonstrating the patent's claims are unpatentable on the grounds of obviousness. ...