The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recently instituted two of Mylan’s petitions seeking Inter Partes Review of Regeneron’s U.S. Patent No. 9,669,069 B2 (the “’069 Patent,” subject of IPR2021-00880) and U.S. 9,254,338 B2 (the “’338 Patent,” subject of IPR2021-00881), finding that Mylan (now part of Viatris) established a reasonable likelihood in prevailing in showing
PTAB Agrees to Review Novartis’ Patent for an Ophthalmic Injection Syringe
On October 26, 2021, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) granted Regeneron’s petition to institute an inter partes review (IPR) of Novartis’s patent U.S. Pat. No. 9,220,631 (“the ’631 patent”), which covers a pre-filled glass syringe for injecting a VEGF-antagonist into the eye. This is the second time the PTAB reviewed Regeneron’s petition to…
Key Members of Congress Urge USPTO to Curtail Discretionary Denials of IPR Petitions to Help Lower Drug Costs by Breaking Patent Thickets
On September 16, 2021, eleven congressional leaders (“the Signors”) sent a letter to Andrew Hirshfeld, the acting director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”), requesting the USPTO to reevaluate the Patent Trial and Appeal Board’s (“PTAB”) view on discretionary denials of petitions for inter partes review (“IPR”). The Office uses discretionary denials…
Does the Term “Human Antibody” Include Humanized Antibodies?
In the context of Immunex’s patent on IL-4 antibodies, the Federal Circuit says yes.
On October 13, 2020, the Federal Circuit affirmed the Patent Trial and Appeal Board’s (the “Board”) final written decision in IPR2017-01884, holding invalid all claims of U.S. Patent No. 8,679,487 (“the ’487 patent”) assigned to Immunex. The ‘487 patent is drawn…
The Federal Circuit Dismisses Pfizer’s Appeal for Lack of Standing
Recently, the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed Pfizer Inc.’s (“Pfizer”) appeal for lack of Article III standing. Pfizer had filed an inter partes review (“IPR”) against Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. (“Chugai”) arguing that U.S. Patent Nos. 7,332,289 and 7,927,815 (“the patents-at-issue”) were unpatentable. The patents at issue are directed towards methods of manufacturing rituximab. Specifically,…
PTAB Modifies FWD Over Construction of Term “Non-Aerobic Conditions”
On May 20, 2019, the PTAB denied a request for rehearing in Apotex Inc. v. Amgen Inc., Case IPR2016-01542 (Paper 67), but modified its Final Written Decision. In the Final Written Decision, the PTAB found claims 1-17 and 19-24 of U.S. Patent No. 8,952,138 (“the ’138 patent”) unpatentable. The ’138 patent is directed towards…
PGR Instituted for Protein Refolding Patent
Recently, in Adello Biologics LLC v. Amgen Inc., Case PGR2019-00001 (Paper No. 13) (PTAB Apr. 19, 2019), the PTAB instituted post-grant review of claims 1-30 of U.S. Patent No. 9,856,287 (“the ’287 patent”). The ’287 patent is the patent at issue in a pending litigation between Amgen and Apotex under the Biologics Price Competition…
Eli Lilly Files PGR Petition against Genentech’s IL-17A/F Heterodimer Patent
On April 2, 2019, Eli Lilly and Company (“Lilly”) filed a Petition for Post-Grant Review (“PGR”) of Genentech’s U.S. Patent 10,011,654 (“the ’654 patent”). The ’654 patent, entitled “Antibodies Directed to IL-17A/IL-17F Heterodimers,” has just seven claims, with independent claim 1 drawn to “[a]n isolated humanized monoclonal antibody that binds to an IL-17A-17F heterodimer comprising…
The Third Time is the Charm for Sanofi in its IPR Challenge of Immunex’s ʼ487 Patent
On February 14, 2019, the PTAB issued final written decisions in two separate IPRs filed by Sanofi-Aventis, Genzyme Corp., and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (collectively “Sanofi”) against U.S. Patent No. 8,679,487 (“the ʼ487 patent”) assigned to Immunex Corporation (“Immunex”). Claim 1 of the ʼ487 patent is the only independent claim, and it is directed to “an isolated…
The PTAB Denies Institution of Two IPRs Involving a Patent Directed to the Treatment of Hemophilia B
The PTAB recently denied institution of two IPRs filed by CSL Behring LLC, CSL Behring GMBH, and CSL Behring Recombinant Facility AG (collectively “CSL”) targeting U.S. Patent No. 9,623,091 (“the ʼ091 patent”) owned by Bioverativ Therapetutics, Inc. (“Bioverativ”). More specifically, on January 6, 2019, the PTAB denied institution of IPR2018-01313 (“the ʼ313 IPR”), and on…