Quebec drug manufacturer Groupe JAMP Pharma is stepping up to the plate by asking the Competition Tribunal to impose a penalty of “at least one billion dollars” on a subsidiary of American giant Johnson & Johnson for “anti-competitive practices,” it says.
In documents filed in late July with the Competition Tribunal, JAMP Pharma Group claims that Janssen used reprehensible strategies to discourage patients from switching from Stelara – an expensive Crohn’s disease drug – to Jamteki, the biosimilar that JAMP Pharma brought to market last winter.
The Boucherville company is asking the Court to issue an order to stop the “anti-competitive practices” of the Johnson & Johnson subsidiary, documents show.
Janssen is allegedly “misusing” a patient support program (PSP) for people taking Stelara. A PSP is a turnkey care program offered outside of provincial health networks. It supports patients through all stages of therapies related to specialty drugs, such as Stelara.
In Quebec, representatives of the PSP funded by Janssen – managed by BioAdvance – allegedly “directly contacted certain patients” to convey false information, claims JAMP Pharma.
“The effect of the representation is to create uncertainty for patients (and, potentially, prescribers) about the need to use a less expensive biosimilar,” the document reads.
4.4 billion in revenue since 2008
According to the Quebec company, the current situation would have the effect of delaying the growth of biosimilar drugs, and thereby slowing down the reduction of costs associated with treatments.
A dose of Stelara would cost “more than $4,000,” according to estimates put forward by JAMP Pharma.
Since its launch in 2008, sales of Stelara have generated revenues of $4.4 billion for the Johnson & Johnson subsidiary.
JAMP Pharma is asking the Competition Tribunal to force Janssen to pay a penalty of “at least $1 billion,” which would represent “three times the value of the advantage resulting from the anti-competitive practices,” according to the Montreal manufacturer.
The Press was unable to speak with a representative from Janssen or Johnson & Johnson. The company has not yet been able to provide any arguments regarding these allegations.
Being able to choose your medication
Increasingly popular in Quebec and across the country, patient support programs raise questions and reactions regarding the impact they can have in the sector.
In June, the Quebec Association of Pharmacists Owners (AQPP) filed a request for authorization of a class action against 10 pharmacists, most of whom were convicted in recent years by the disciplinary council of their professional order for having “obtained” clients through PSPs.
“The allegations in this lawsuit are disturbing and demonstrate the extent of the opacity of the system related to specialty drugs,” said AQPP President Benoît Morin in an email, in response to JAMP Pharma’s actions.
He added: “External influence in the choice of a health professional or the prescription of a specific medicine is unacceptable and undermines the independence of professionals. Only health professionals should be able to guide patients’ decisions about their care.”
The JAMP Pharma Group in brief
- When it was founded in 1998, the company was a subcontractor that made the requested modifications to the products that companies sent it.
- The Boucherville company now offers nearly 350 molecules.
- In 2022, it launched BIOJAMP, a division specializing in biosimilars, the equivalent of generics for biological drugs.
- In March 2024, it markets Jamteki, a biosimilar of Janssen’s Stelara, to treat Crohn’s disease.
What is the Competition Tribunal?
The Competition Tribunal is an administrative tribunal that generally deals with complex, large-scale, nationally significant cases involving significant financial issues that may have an impact on competition. These may include issues related to mergers or acquisitions, abuse of a dominant position or price competition.
Precision :
A previous version of this text identified the AQPP president as Bernard Morin instead of Benoît Morin. Our apologies.