Amgen Patent Case Tests Limits of Monopoly Preservation

A case involving Amgen, a biotechnology company, has raised questions about patent deals in the pharmaceutical industry. The legal dispute centers around whether acquiring a patent application can be used to unfairly preserve a monopoly on a drug.

Amgen is accused of manipulating the US patent system to push out competitors and keep drug prices high. However, it's worth noting that STAT News does not claim that Amgen has already been proven guilty in this dispute.

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has sided with healthcare payers and consumers, believing that this mechanism deserves attention due to antitrust concerns.