Momenta, Sandoz Must Face Class Claims in Lovenox Antitrust Suit

Momenta Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Novartis AG subsidiary Sandoz Inc. must face class claims that they tricked regulators into adopting a standard incorporating a patent on their blood thinner Lovenox, a Middle District of Tennessee judge ruled.

The lawsuit accuses the drugmakers of concealing the pending patent application while lobbying the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention in favor of a testing protocol that would require generic Lovenox makers to infringe the patent, which was later approved. The patent covers a method for testing the quality of Lovenox’s active ingredient, used to treat and prevent clots and heart attacks.

The pharmaceutical companies knew exactly ...