J&J’s Janssen Targets Accord Simponi Biosimilars in Patent Suit

Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen units filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block biosimilar versions of chronic inflammation drugs Simponi and Simponi Aria proposed by Accord BioPharma Inc. and Bio-Thera Solutions Ltd.

Janssen Biotech Inc. and Janssen Sciences Ireland UC filed the complaint March 3 under seal, and it was docketed Wednesday in the US District Court for the District of Delaware. A redacted version isn’t yet available, but a concurrent filing lists 17 patents related to the antibody golimumab, the drugs’ active ingredient.

Janssen asked the court to seal the complaint and an exhibit because they reference “highly sensitive business ...