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ARTICLE | Company News

Court rules Medivation has no rights to ARN-509

December 27, 2012 1:49 AM UTC

A California state court ruled that Medivation Inc. (NASDAQ:MDVN) does not have rights to ARN-509, a second-generation androgen receptor antagonist from Aragon Pharmaceuticals Inc. (San Diego, Calif.). In February 2011, Medivation filed suit against the University of California and Aragon alleging that the university breached a 2005 deal with Medivation when it granted Aragon rights to ARN-509, which Medivation said is based on technology similar to its prostate cancer drug Xtandi enzalutamide. Under the 2005 deal, Medivation has rights to the university's small molecule androgen receptor antagonists, including Xtandi. The court ruled Medivation has exclusive rights to a specific series of compounds identified by a chemical structure that does not include ARN-509, which is in Phase II testing for castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

The court has not yet ruled on Medivation's claim that the university improperly disclosed information to Aragon about the compounds covered in the 2005 deal. The companies could not be reached for comment. ...