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Contingencies and commitments
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2021
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Contingencies and commitments Contingencies and commitments
Contingencies
In the ordinary course of business, we are involved in various legal proceedings, government investigations and other matters that are complex in nature and have outcomes that are difficult to predict. See our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors—Our business may be affected by litigation and government investigations. We describe our legal proceedings and other matters that are significant or that we believe could become significant in this footnote; in Note 19, Contingencies and commitments, to the consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020; in Note 12, Contingencies and commitments, to the condensed consolidated financial statements in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2021; and in Note 13, Contingencies and commitments, to the condensed consolidated financial statements in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2021.
We record accruals for loss contingencies to the extent that we conclude it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the related loss can be reasonably estimated. We evaluate, on a quarterly basis, developments in legal proceedings and other matters that could cause an increase or decrease in the amount of the liability that has been accrued previously.
Our legal proceedings involve various aspects of our business and a variety of claims, some of which present novel factual allegations and/or unique legal theories. In each of the matters described in this filing; in Note 19, Contingencies and commitments, to the consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020; in Note 12, Contingencies and commitments, to the condensed consolidated financial statements in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2021; or in Note 13, Contingencies and commitments, to the condensed consolidated financial statements in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2021, in which we could incur a liability, our opponents seek an award of a not-yet-quantified amount of damages or an amount that is not material. In addition, a number of the matters pending against us are at very early stages of the legal process, which in complex proceedings of the sort we face often extend for several years. As a result, none of the matters described in this filing; in Note 19, Contingencies and commitments, to the consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020; in Note 12, Contingencies and commitments, to the condensed consolidated financial statements in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2021; or in Note 13, Contingencies and commitments, to the condensed consolidated financial statements in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2021, in which we could incur a liability, have progressed sufficiently through discovery and/or the development of important factual information and legal issues to enable us to estimate a range of possible loss, if any, or such amounts are not material. While it is not possible to accurately predict or determine the eventual outcomes of these matters, an adverse determination in one or more of these matters currently pending could have a material adverse effect on our consolidated results of operations, financial position or cash flows.
Certain recent developments concerning our legal proceedings and other matters are discussed below:
Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) Patent Litigation
Otezla® ANDA Patent Litigation
Amgen Inc. v. Sandoz Inc., et al.
On September 28, 2021, consistent with its September 20, 2021 opinion and order, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey (the New Jersey District Court) entered final judgment in favor of Amgen and against Zydus Pharmaceuticals (USA) Inc. (Zydus) with respect to claims 3 and 6 of U.S. Patent No. 7,427,638 (the ’638 Patent), claim 6 of U.S. Patent No. 8,455,536 (the ’536 Patent) and claims 2 and 27 of U.S. Patent No. 8,093,283 (the ‘283 Patent); and final judgment in favor of Zydus and against Amgen with respect to claims 1 and 15 of U.S. Patent No. 7,893,101 (the ‘101 Patent) and claims 2, 19 and 21 of U.S. Patent No. 10,092,541 (the ’541 Patent). The final judgment ordered that the effective date of any final approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of Zydus’s ANDA must be after expiration of the three infringed patents (the ’638, ’536 and ’283 Patents) and any regulatory exclusivity to which Amgen may become entitled. The final judgment also includes an injunction prohibiting Zydus from making, using, offering to sell, or selling in the United States, or importing into the United States, Zydus’s generic apremilast products during the term of the three infringed patents.
On October 12, 2021, the New Jersey District Court also entered final judgment in favor of Amgen and against Sandoz Inc. (Sandoz) with respect to claims 3 and 6 of the ’638 Patent, claim 6 of the ’536 Patent and claims 1 and 15 of the ’101 Patent; and final judgment in favor of Sandoz and against Amgen with respect to claims 2, 19 and 21 of the ’541 Patent. The final judgment ordered that the effective date of any final approval by the FDA of Sandoz’s ANDA must be after expiration of the three infringed patents (the ’638, ’536 and ’101 Patents) and any regulatory exclusivity to which Amgen may become entitled. The final judgment also includes an injunction prohibiting Sandoz from making, using, offering to sell, or selling in the United States, or importing into the United States, Sandoz’s generic apremilast products during the term of the three infringed patents.
Zydus and Amgen filed notices of appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (the Federal Circuit Court) on October 27, 2021 and October 28, 2021, respectively.
Sensipar® (cinacalcet) ANDA Patent Litigation
Amgen Inc. v. Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC, et al. (formerly, Amgen Inc. v. Aurobindo Pharma Ltd. et al.)
On October 20, 2021, the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware (the Delaware District Court) issued final judgment in favor of Piramal Healthcare UK Limited and Slate Run Pharmaceuticals LLC.
ENBREL Patent Litigation
Immunex Corporation, et al. v. Samsung Bioepis Co., Ltd.
On November 2, 2021, Amgen and Samsung Bioepis Co., Ltd. (Bioepis), with the consent of Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. (Roche), jointly submitted to the New Jersey District Court a confidential stipulation and a form of final judgment and order of permanent injunction resolving the dispute between the parties and enjoining Bioepis from making, using, offering to sell, or selling within the United States, or importing into the United States, any product containing etanercept until the April 24, 2029 expiry of Roche’s U.S. Patent No. 8,163,522.
Repatha® Patent Litigation
Patent Disputes in the International Region
National litigations in the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands and Italy have been settled. In Germany, Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. have filed actions claiming they are entitled to damages arising from the provisional enforcement of an injunction against PRALUENT® that was lifted after the European Patent Office Technical Board of Appeal’s October 29, 2020 ruling that certain claims encompassing PRALUENT® in Amgen’s European Patent No. 2,215,124 were invalid.
NEUPOGEN® (filgrastim)/Neulasta® Patent Litigation
Amgen Inc., et al. v. Pfizer Inc. et al.
On September 8, 2021, pursuant to joint stipulation, the Delaware District Court dismissed the lawsuits regarding U.S. Patent Nos. 9,643,997 and 10,577,392.
Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) Challenge
Apotex PTAB Challenge
On September 2, 2021, the Federal Circuit Court issued a remand to permit Amgen to request rehearing of the PTAB’s final written decision holding that all claims of U.S. Patent No. 8.952,138 as unpatentable.
Pfizer PTAB Challenge
On February 10, 2021, Hospira, Inc. and Pfizer Inc. (collectively, Pfizer) filed a petition to institute inter partes review (IPR) proceeding at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) of U.S. Patent No. 8,273,707 (the ’707 Patent), challenging claims of the ’707 Patent as unpatentable. Amgen’s preliminary response was filed on May 18, 2021.
On August 17, 2021, the PTAB of the USPTO granted Pfizer’s petition to institute IPR of the ’707 Patent. On August 23, 2021, the PTAB issued the schedule for the proceeding, including oral argument (if requested) on May 18, 2022.
Breach of Contract Action
Novartis Pharma AG v. Amgen Inc.
On October 26, 2021, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York held a status conference with the parties and set the dates for Novartis Pharma AG’s (Novartis) opening brief for its motion for partial summary judgment on two claims, fraudulent inducement and negligent misrepresentation, to be due on January 14, 2022, Amgen’s opposition to be due on February 14, 2022 and Novartis’ reply to be due on March 10, 2022. This motion, if granted, will not dispose of the entire case as other claims related to breach of contract remain pending.
U.S. Tax Litigation
Amgen Inc. & Subsidiaries v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue
See Note 4, Income taxes, for discussion of the IRS tax dispute and the Company’s petition in the U.S. Tax Court.