Novo’s Blockbuster Ozempic Among FTC’s Latest Patent Targets

Blockbusters including Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Victoza are among 20 branded drugs the Federal Trade Commission is targeting as it challenges more than 300 “junk patent listings” in the FDA’s registry of approved drugs in an effort to accelerate generic competition.

The FTC on Tuesday sent warning letters to 10 companies and told the US Food and Drug Administration the patents were improperly listed in the FDA’s Orange Book. The patents should be removed from entries for drugs treating diabetes, weight loss, asthma, and COPD, the agency said in a statement.

The targeted patents don’t cover actual inventions or ...