Astra, AbbVie Slammed by Warren for ‘Abusing’ Drug Patent System

AstraZeneca Plc, GSK Plc, AbbVie Inc. and other drugmakers are making “sham” claims to drug patents that drive up prices by preventing competition, US Senator Elizabeth Warren said in a series of letters to companies.

Letters from Democrats Warren, of Massachusetts, and Washington Representative Pramila Jayapal urged the drugmakers to abandon “improperly or inaccurately” listed patents. Treatments mentioned in the letters include AbbVie’s Restasis eye drops, AstraZeneca’s Symbicort asthma treatment and GSK’s Advair and Flovent inhalers.