Product race, patent risk

There's a good chance a CNTF product with Orphan Drug status could reach the market two to three years before the long anticipated interference between Synergen Inc.'s issued patent and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s allowed patent on the CNTF gene can be resolved.

Fredric Price, CFO at REGN, told BioCentury a ciliary neurotrophic factor to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) will be on the market in 1995 or 1996, while the patent issue won't likely be resolved until 1998. ...