Hikma may have succeeded in dismissing Amarin’s induced infringement claim against the firm over Hikma’s skinny label generic Vascepa in the US, but a panel of judges for the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit challenged that the generics manufacturer’s public disclosures “sound like an actual statement, encouraging use for the broad sweep of things: that this generic can be used instead of the brand, without any narrowing.”

Private Company Edition: After US-based Alumis and Sionna raised $259m and $182m, respectively, in series C rounds, Tubulis in Munich, Germany brought in €128m ($138.8m) in series B2 cash, while Rakuten – with offices in the US, Europe and Asia – closed a $119m series E round.

Hikma welcomed a strong and profitable 2023, driven by the nourishing effects of its authorized generic Xyrem product, which will fall back this year as the rate of royalties owed to the brand’s innovator climbs. But the company is optimistic it can continue growth in 2024, including through its $1.2bn Injectables division, which rushed in to fill supply gaps last year.

Hikma announced the launch of the pain relief solution in the US where it will be sold under the name Combogesic IV as part of a deal with Hyloris Pharmaceuticals.