By Kurt R. Karst – Although we’re not patent attorneys, we’re smart enough to know that the September 16, 2011 enactment of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (“AIA”) signaled a sea change in the patent world. Indeed, the effects of the AIA were immediately felt in …
By Kurt R. Karst – The so-called “drug lag” – i.e., the difference (or perceived difference some might say) in drug availability between the United States and other countries – was one of myriad reasons some folks back in the early 1990s thought it was necessary …
By Kurt R. Karst – After years of relative quiet, the Orange Book list of exclusivity terms has gotten quite a workout over the past year with the addition of several new terms to account for new non-patent marketing exclusivities. First there was the addition of …
By Jeffrey N. Wasserstein – As we previously noted, waiting for FDA to issue social media guidances was a little like Waiting for Godot. Well, Godot has returned and FDA finally released two long awaited draft guidances relating to social media, one relating to the presentation of …
By James E. Valentine – On June 11, 2014, a panel before the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health hosted its second hearing on the 21st Century Cures Initiative. The Subcommittee sought input on whether current economic and regulatory incentives are sufficient to encourage …
By Kurt R. Karst – Although this blogger didn’t catch the episodes of The Six Million Dollar Man that originally aired in the mid-1970s, I did see them once they were syndicated. As I remember it, the opening theme and narration to the popular television show starring …
By Kurt R. Karst – In what might very well be the first decision in a case involving a counterclaim seeking an order to correct or delete patent information from the Orange Book (and not concerning a patent use code), last week the U.S. District Court …
By Kurt R. Karst – FDA’s Pre-Launch Activities Importation Request (“PLAIR”) program got a lot of attention last July when the Agency finally announced the issuance of a draft guidance document (Docket No. FDA-2013-D-0836) describing the program. Briefly, the PLAIR program allows, on a case-by-case basis and …
By Alexander J. Varond – On May 29, FDA issued its final guidance on “Expedited Programs for Serious Conditions – Drugs and Biologics.” We blogged previously on the draft guidance and each of FDA’s four expedited programs (fast track designation, accelerated approval, priority review, and breakthrough …
By Kurt R. Karst – FDA’s recent announcement that the Agency seized more than $11,185,000 worth of unapproved drugs marketed by Ascend Laboratories (“Ascend”) is the latest, and most clear example yet of FDA taking action pursuant to the Agency’s September 19, 2011 Marketed Unapproved Drugs …
By James C. Shehan & David B. Clissold – Good brand names have been important to drug marketers as far back as Biblical times – the Book of Ecclesiastes tells us that “a good name is better than precious ointment.” In a new draft guidance applicable …
By Kurt R. Karst – On May 29th, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations voted 31-18 during a mark-up session to send to the House floor its version of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015, along …
By Kurt R. Karst – We’re not sure if it was merely the passage of time or something else that relieved the constipation, but FDA has finally acted on an October 24, 2008 Notice for an Opportunity for Hearing (Docket No. FDA-2008-N-0549) proposing to withdraw approval …
It’s been nearly 30 years since President Ronald Reagan, on September 24, 1984, held a ceremony in the Rose Garden to sign into law the Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984, Pub. L. No. 98-417, 98 Stat. 1585 (1984) – better …
By Alexander J. Varond & James E. Valentine – On May 20, 2014, Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, P.C.’s Frank J. Sasinowski appeared on a panel before the House Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Health to present testimony at the first hearing on the 21st Century Cures …
