A U.S. Supreme Court justice refused to stay a ruling that would open Teva Pharmaceutical Industries' Copaxone multiple-sclerosis drug to generic competition in May 2014.
The Federal Circuit court ruling this past July had invalidated one of the company’s patents and shaved more than a year off the legal protection for Copaxone, a treatment that accounts for 20% of Teva's sales and about 50% of its profits.
On November 13, Chief Justice John Roberts rejected Teva’s request to put that ruling on hold while the court decides whether to take up Teva’s appeal. Even if the court ruled to take up the company’s appeal, the review wouldn’t take place until the nine-month term that starts in October 2014.