Acorda, Hayman Capital Management autoimmune news

Acorda responded to an inter partes review (IPR) filed by hedge fund manager Kyle Bass in February against Patent No. 8,633,685, a methods patent covering multiple sclerosis drug Ampyra dalfampridine. The patent, which expires in 2025, is one of five Orange Book-listed patents for the sustained-release formulation of 4-aminopyridine (4-AP). Bass filed another IPR in February challenging Acorda’s Patent No. 8,007,826, which covers Ampyra and expires in 2027. Acorda intends to file its response to the second IPR by June 19.

In the challenge against the ‘685 patent, an entity associated with hedge fund Hayman Capital argued that a method for improving walking in MS patients by administering 10 mg of Ampyra twice daily for at least two weeks was “known in the prior art.” In its response, Acorda laid out reasons why it believes the Patent Trials and Appeals Board (PTAB) of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office should deny the IPR against the ‘685 patent, and said the use of the IPR process “as a tool to manipulate markets is not what Congress intended.” Acorda claimed the petition should be denied because the coalition did not name its investors and identify them as “real parties-in-interest.” ...