The biopharma industry has been creeping over a patent cliff for months, with several drugs losing their primary patents and more patents expected to expire in the next seven years. This opens the door for new generics to enter the market, lowering drug prices and therefore reducing how much manufacturers can rake in from brand name products.

A US district court has said that a key patent held by Astellas on its Myrbetriq drug for urinary incontinence is invalid, in a setback to its efforts to defend the blockbuster therapy from generic competition.