Court finds Roche infringed on Amgen’s erythropoietin patents

Court finds Roche infringed on Amgen’s erythropoietin patents

The U.S. District Court in Boston upheld a prior jury decision (October 2) declaring Roche infringed on Amgen’s erythropoietin patents. The court also said Amgen is entitled to a permanent injunction prohibiting Roche from selling its pegylated-erythropoietin (peg-EPO) product Mircera in the U.S.

“Failure to enter a permanent injunction... would risk undermining the incentives for innovation that have produced, and hopefully will continue to produce, medical advances that extend and enhance the value of life. The Court therefore concludes that the public interest will not be disserved by a permanent injunction,” the court said. Amgen said it is pleased with the ruling.

In a separate decision involving Amgen’s suit against TKT and Aventis, the District Court upheld Amgen’s patent claims regarding pharmaceutical compositions of human EPO and entered a permanent injunction prohibiting TKT and Aventis from selling its gene-activated EPO in the U.S.

Genmab scales back on cancer therapeutics development

Genmab will discontinue development of zanolimumab (HuMax-CD4) as well as cut 101 jobs in its international locations. The company decided to stop development because of slow patient recruitment, the company stated.

Also, Genmab said it plans to out-license early-stage development programs for HuMax-HepC, HuMax-IL8 and HuMax-TAC.

Genmab will also wind down zalutumumab (HuMax-EGFr) early stage studies in colorectal and lung cancer based on new information about the role of KRAS mutations and appropriate therapeutic regimens.