Ebb & Flow

Amgen (AMGN) has its PDUFA date on Thursday this week for Vectibix panitumumab to treat colorectal cancer. The bellwether last week took steps to clear the path forward for the anti-EGFR antibody by licensing a disputed patent covering EGFR antibodies plus chemotherapy from Yeda Research and Development, the licensing arm of the Weizmann Institute.

Last week's deal came as a U.S. district court ruled that scientists from the Israeli institute were the sole inventors of the IP, invalidating claims of inventorship by a predecessor of sanofi-aventis Group (Euronext:SAN; SNY), Rhone-Poulenc Rorer Inc. ...