Novartis endocrine/metabolic news
A German court dismissed a suit from Novartis seeking to block the assessment of the pharma's Type II diabetes drugs in the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor (gliptin) class. Preliminary assessments on the drugs - Galvus vildagliptin and Icandra vildagliptin/metformin - are expected from the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Healthcare (IQWiG) in July.
Novartis had filed a complaint in December seeking to stop Germany's Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) from conducting benefit assessments of Galvus, which received EU marketing authorization in 2007, and Icandra, which was approved in 2008. The court said drug pricing law AMNOG "in principle excludes" suits over assessments to expedite the assessment process and dismissed the suit, though the court said Novartis can file suit after the assessments have been completed and the price for the drugs has been negotiated. Novartis said it was "disappointed" with the outcome (see BioCentury, Feb. 18). ...