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Contingencies and commitments
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2022
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, 2021, 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, 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 March 31, 2022.
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, 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 March 31, 2022, 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, 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 March 31, 2022, 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. Although 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:
ANDA Patent Litigation
Otezla ANDA Patent Litigation
Amgen Inc. v. Apotex Inc.
On June 14, 2022, Amgen filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey (the New Jersey District Court) against Apotex Inc. (Apotex) for infringement of U.S. Patent Nos. 7,427,638, 9,872,854 and 10,092,541, which are listed in the Orange Book for Otezla. This lawsuit was based on Apotex’s submission of an ANDA seeking FDA approval to market a generic version of Otezla and seeks an order of the New Jersey District Court making any FDA approval of Apotex’s ANDA effective no earlier than the expiration of the applicable patents.
Repatha Patent Litigation
Patent Disputes in the International Region
On July 21, 2022, Sanofi Biotechnology SAS filed an action against Amgen GmbH and Amgen (Europe) B.V. before the Regional Court of Dusseldorf alleging that the marketing and sale of Repatha infringes European Patent No. 2,756,004 (the EP’004 Patent), seeking infringement damages and injunctive relief. The EP’004 Patent is currently in opposition proceedings, initiated by Amgen and an anonymous third party, before the European Patent Office (EPO). A hearing before the Opposition Division of the EPO was held on June 8 and 9, 2022, and the Opposition Division upheld the validity of the claims at issue with narrowing amendments. The parties are awaiting the Opposition Division’s written opinion. Amgen filed a Notice of Appeal on July 6, 2022.
Antitrust Actions
Sensipar Antitrust Class Actions
On May 11, 2022, the parties filed motions asking permission to seek interlocutory appeal of the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware’s (the Delaware District Court’s) March 11, 2022 order denying Amgen’s Motion to Dismiss solely with respect to the reverse payment claim and the various state law claims. The plaintiffs did not oppose Amgen’s motion and instead argued all issues should be appealed at this time. Amgen filed its opposition to plaintiffs’ motion on June 10, 2022, and reply briefs were filed on June 24, 2022.
HUMIRA® Biosimilar Antitrust Actions
On August 1, 2022, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit issued an opinion affirming the June 30, 2020 dismissal with prejudice by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois of a consolidated complaint against Amgen along with AbbVie Inc., AbbVie Biotechnology Ltd., Samsung Bioepis Co. and Sandoz Inc.
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Antitrust Action
On May 27, 2022, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Regeneron) filed suit against Amgen in the Delaware District Court for federal and state antitrust and unfair competition violations and tortious interference with prospective business relations. Regeneron alleges that Amgen’s sales contracting practices for Repatha, ENBREL and Otezla with key insurers, third-party payors and PBMs have harmed the sales of its product PRALUENT® and focuses on two primary arguments: that Amgen improperly bundled sales of Repatha with ENBREL, Otezla and potentially other products and sought exclusive or de facto exclusive formulary positioning for Repatha. Amgen’s initial responsive pleading was filed on August 1, 2022.
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.