A complaint by Baxter back in March that Novo Nordisk’s recently launched hemophilia drug infringed on some of Baxter’s patents prompted an investigation this week by the U.S. International Trade Commission.

On Wednesday, Novo Nordisk disputed Baxter’s claims that its Novoeight used substances Baxter developed, Reuters reports, and it told the news service it had asked a district court in New Jersey to rule on the dispute. Novo Nordisk filed a complaint there in March, accusing Baxter of making “baseless allegations.”

Baxter already has asked the ITC to issue a limited exclusion order and cease and desist order, which would remove Novoeight from the market, the news service notes. The committee began its investigation on Monday.

Novo Nordisk has its sights set on Novoeight playing a key role in its growing hemophilia business. Sydbank analyst Soren Lontoft Hansen told Reuters he sees the product hitting peak sales of between 3 billion and 4 billion Danish crowns ($447 million to $596 million) per year within the next eight to 10 years.

For its part, Baxter relies heavily on revenues from its hemophilia pharmaceuticals, which comprise a large share of its biopharmaceutical total.

Source: FiercePhama.com