Biogen Idec, Genentech, Genmab, GlaxoSmithKline, Roche cancer news

Genmab said the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit denied a request from Biogen Idec and Roche's Genentech unit for a rehearing en banc of a ruling in favor of GlaxoSmithKline and Genmab related to GSK's and Genmab's cancer drug Arzerra ofatumumab. In April, the appeals court upheld a 2011 ruling from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California that Arzerra does not infringe U.S. Patent No. 7,682,612, covering methods of treating chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) with anti-CD20 antibodies. Biogen Idec and Genentech requested the rehearing in May, saying that the appeal court ruling "was against court precedent." Biogen Idec and Genentech filed the suit in 2010 alleging that Arzerra infringes on patent '612. GSK, which has worldwide co-development and commercialization rights, markets the human mAb against CD20 in the U.S. and EU to treat CLL refractory to fludarabine and alemtuzumab (see BioCentury, March 29, 2010; April 29, 2013 & May 27, 2013). ...