Company: SRPT
Filing Date: 2025-02-28
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0000950170-25-029973
Chunk: 188

Company: Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc.
Filing Date: 2025-02-28
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1
Chunk 188
---
. If we do not have adequate patent protection for our products, then the relative importance of obtaining regulatory exclusivity is even greater. While orphan status for any of our products, if granted or maintained, would provide market exclusivity for the time periods specified above upon approval, we would not be able to exclude other companies from obtaining regulatory approval of products using the same or similar active ingredient for the same indication during or beyond the exclusivity period applicable to our product on the basis of orphan drug status (e.g., seven years in the U.S.). For example, the exclusivity period for EXONDYS 51 ended in September 2023. Orphan drug designation neither shortens the development time or regulatory review time of a drug, nor gives the drug any advantage in the regulatory review or approval process. A decision in 2021 by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. vs. Becerra regarding interpretation of the Orphan Drug Act’s exclusivity provisions as applied to drugs and biologics approved for orphan indications narrower than the product’s orphan designation has the potential to significantly broaden the scope of orphan exclusivity for such products. While the FDA has since taken the position that it will continue to apply orphan drug exclusivity only on the basis of the specific indication, the Supreme Court’s recent decision in 2024 in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo has the potential to impact how the Agency applies the Catalyst decision. Our ability to obtain or seek to work around orphan exclusivity, as well as our ability to retain orphan exclusivity that the FDA previously has recognized for our products, may be impacted depending 

-37-

on how the Catalyst decision is ultimately implemented. Legislation has been introduced to amend the Orphan Drug Act in a way that may prevent these effects of the Catalyst decision, but it is unclear if or when such legislation could be enacted.

In addition, we may face risks with maintaining regulatory exclusivities for our products, and our protection may be circumvented, even if maintained. For instance, orphan drug exclusivity in the U.S. may be rescinded if (i) an alternative, competing product demonstrates clinical superiority to our product with orphan exclusivity; or (ii) we are unable to assure the availability of sufficient quantities of our orphan products to meet the needs of patients. Moreover, competitors may receive approval of different drugs or biologics for indications for which our prior approved orphan products have exclusivity. In Europe, the granted orphan exclusivity period may be reduced to