Indivior strikes truce with Alvogen, sells China tablet rights

A preliminary injunction hearing in the US district courts had been scheduled for this Thursday after it had been granted a temporary restraining order against Alvogen. This has now been cancelled.

Indivior had pursued the preliminary injunction over alleged infringement of the patents protecting its Suboxone sublingual film, echoing its battle with Dr Reddy's Laboratories over much of last year, as both rivals have developed copycat versions of the UK-listed company's best-selling treatment.

In December, Indivior the Court of Appeals reinstated a preliminary injunction first issued last July against Dr Reddy's and said it will remain in place until the Court issues a new mandate.

On Monday, the FTSE 250 company said under the new agreement, the terms of which were not disclosed, Avlogen had agreed not to sell its generic naloxone sublingual film product "unless and until the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issues a mandate vacating the preliminary injunction against Dr Reddy's Laboratories".

Meanwhile, in China, Indivior struck a deal to divest its China rights related to the Sai Bo Song tablet, which is a different formulation of the buprenorphine and naloxone drugs used in Suboxone, to Zhejiang Pukang Biotechnology.

"The divestiture of the Sai Bo Song tablet in China is consistent with Indivior's efforts to prioritize efforts on the long-term growth opportunities with our new depot assets, Sublocade and Perseris," said Indivior chief executive Shaun Thaxter.

"This transaction helps us focus our resources on the highest return opportunities in the regions we know best, while ensuring patients in China have access to an important and transformational treatment."