GSK settles with Genentech over ofatumumab patents

28 March 2012

UK pharma giant GlaxoSmithKline (LSE: GSK) has agreed a settlement with Genentech, a unit of Roche (ROG: SIX), and City of Hope (a California not-for-profit organization) concerning two US patents that relate to recombinant antibody production for ofatumumab, which is being commercialized in the USA and Europe by GSK under the trade name Arzerra for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

GSK is Danish company Genmab's (LMX: GEN) development and commercial collaborator for the CD20 antibody ofatumumab. The dispute concerned US Patents Nos 6,331,415 and 7,923,221 (the Cabilly II and Cabilly III patents) issued to Genentech and City of Hope. No financial terms of the settlement are disclosed.

The case was initiated by GSK in October 2009 and has been pending before the US District Court for the Central District of California. The settlement means that the pending court case will now be concluded. The two patents are due to expire in December 2018.

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