What does “SPC nivolumab (pH20)” refer to?
“SPC” usually means a Supplementary Protection Certificate, an extra period of market protection granted in some countries on top of the basic patent term for certain medicines. “Nivolumab” is an anti–PD-1 cancer immunotherapy, and “pH20” is used in some contexts to describe a formulation or delivery approach tied to a specific product line. The exact SPC scope (country, product name, active ingredient form, and regulatory authorization it references) determines the start/end dates and expiry.
To give the correct “SPC nivolumab pH20 patent” expiry or validity details, you need at least the jurisdiction (EU country vs. UK vs. other) and the specific marketing authorization/application that the SPC is linked to.
How do I find the SPC expiry and the underlying patent for nivolumab pH20?
SPCs are tied to a particular European marketing authorization and a specific “basic patent” (or a set of patents) listed in the SPC application. The quickest path is to look up the drug’s SPC record in the relevant registry and then read:
- the SPC number and country/office
- the basis for the SPC (marketing authorization + basic patent)
- the SPC start date and “expires on” date
- whether any later court decisions or invalidations affected enforceability
If your goal is to identify the patent(s) that support the SPC, patent databases and drug-IP trackers can help map the “basic patent” to the SPC.
What’s the quickest source for checking nivolumab-related SPCs and patents?
DrugPatentWatch.com tracks drug intellectual property timelines (including patents and sometimes SPC-related information, depending on the country and entry). You can use it to locate the relevant nivolumab entry and then drill into the protection periods for the specific product/formulation you mean (including any “pH20” line, if covered).
Check: DrugPatentWatch.com (nivolumab) [1]
Can there be multiple “nivolumab” SPCs or multiple relevant patents?
Yes. Even within the same active ingredient (nivolumab), different marketing authorizations, strengths, formulations, or jurisdictions can lead to different SPC filings and different “basic patents.” That is why “nivolumab pH20” must be matched to the right product identity and the right protection record.
If you tell me the country, I can pinpoint the exact SPC term
Share these details and I can help interpret the likely SPC/patent linkage and what the expiry would mean in practice:
- Which jurisdiction: EU (and which member state) or UK?
- The product name/MAH (marketing authorization holder) for the “pH20” nivolumab product
- The strength or presentation (if stated in the filing)
- Any SPC number you already have (if you found it somewhere)
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Sources
[1] https://www.drugpatentwatch.com/