S. 142 · 118th Congress · Senate

Preserve Access to Affordable Generics and Biosimilars Act

Active· Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 20.
Introduced
Jan 30, 23
Passed Senate
Pending
Passed House
Pending
Sent to President
Pending
Signed into Law
Pending

Executive Summary

Preserve Access to Affordable Generics and Biosimilars Act

This bill authorizes the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to initiate proceedings against parties to any agreement resolving or settling a patent infringement claim in connection with the sale of a drug or biological product. Such an agreement is presumed to have anticompetitive effects and is a violation of this bill if the filer of the generic drug or biosimilar application receives anything of value and agrees to limit or forego research, development, manufacturing, marketing, or sales of the generic drug or biosimilar.

An agreement is exempted if the only consideration granted to the generic manufacturer is (1) the right to market and secure final approval for its product prior to the expiration of any statutory exclusivity, (2) a payment for reasonable litigation expenses, or (3) a covenant not to sue on any claim that the generic drug or biosimilar infringes a patent. An agreement is also exempt if the agreement's pro-competitive benefits outweigh the anticompetitive effects.

When a generic or biosimilar drug manufacturer enters into an agreement with another drug manufacturer related to the manufacturing, marketing, or sale of a drug, the manufacturers must certify that the material they have given the FTC concerning the agreement contains the complete agreement and any agreements related to that main agreement, including descriptions of any oral agreements or representations.

The bill imposes penalties for violations of this bill, including the forfeiture of the 180-day marketing exclusivity period for a generic drug.

Previous Versions

00Jan 30, 2023

Preserve Access to Affordable Generics and Biosimilars Act

This bill authorizes the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to initiate proceedings against parties to any agreement resolving or settling a patent infringement claim in connection with the sale of a drug or biological product. Such an agreement is presumed to have anticompetitive effects and is a violation of this bill if the filer of the generic drug or biosimilar application receives anything of value and agrees to limit or forego research, development, manufacturing, marketing, or sales of the generic drug or biosimilar.

An agreement is exempted if the only consideration granted to the generic manufacturer is (1) the right to market and secure final approval for its product prior to the expiration of any statutory exclusivity, (2) a payment for reasonable litigation expenses, or (3) a covenant not to sue on any claim that the generic drug or biosimilar infringes a patent. An agreement is also exempt if the agreement's pro-competitive benefits outweigh the anticompetitive effects.

When a generic or biosimilar drug manufacturer enters into an agreement with another drug manufacturer related to the manufacturing, marketing, or sale of a drug, the manufacturers must certify that the material they have given the FTC concerning the agreement contains the complete agreement and any agreements related to that main agreement, including descriptions of any oral agreements or representations.

The bill imposes penalties for violations of this bill, including the forfeiture of the 180-day marketing exclusivity period for a generic drug.

Action Timeline

6
  1. MAR 01, 2023Committee

    Committee on the Judiciary

    Reported by Senator Durbin with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.

  2. MAR 01, 2023Committee

    Committee on the Judiciary

    Reported by Senator Durbin with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.

  3. MAR 01, 2023Calendars

    Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 20.

  4. FEB 09, 2023Committee

    Committee on the Judiciary

    Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

  5. JAN 30, 2023IntroReferral

    Introduced in Senate

  6. JAN 30, 2023IntroReferral

    Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Committees

3

Judiciary Committee

ssju00

Referred: Mar 1, 2023

Active

Judiciary Committee

ssju00

Referred: Feb 9, 2023

Active

Judiciary Committee

ssju00

Referred: Jan 30, 2023

Active