Bristol-Myers, Merck, Ono Pharmaceutical cancer news
Bristol-Myers and Ono filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware against Merck alleging that Merck's Keytruda pembrolizumab infringes U.S. Patent No. 8,728,474 covering a method of using programmed cell death 1 receptor ( PDCD1; PD-1; CD279) inhibitors as cancer immunotherapies. Last week, FDA approved Keytruda, a humanized IgG4 mAb against PD-1, to treat advanced melanoma in patients previously treated with BMS's Yervoy ipilimumab. Keytruda is the first PD-1 inhibitor approved in the U.S. and is under review in the EU for advanced melanoma.
Ono is an assignee of the patent, and BMS is the exclusive licensee. The patent was issued in May. Ono and BMS are seeking declaratory judgment and damages. Merck said it believes the suit is without merit. ...