BioCentury
ARTICLE | Company News

Callisto, Ironwood, Synergy Pharmaceuticals gastrointestinal news

January 9, 2012 8:00 AM UTC

Synergy said that the opposition division of the European Patent Office upheld its patent covering plecanatide in a December oral hearing. In April 2010, European Patent No. 1,379,224 was granted to Synergy, which Ironwood opposed before the EPO issued the patent. The EPO has not yet issued a written ruling. Ironwood could not be reached for comment.

In December, Synergy filed a suit in the N.Y. State Supreme Court against Ironwood regarding its opposition to Synergy's European patent and plecanatide -related U.S. Patent Nos. 7,041,786 and 7,799,897. Synergy, which is seeking $500 million in damages, alleges that Ironwood made statements to the EPO and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that constitute unfair competition, fraud and unjust enrichment. Synergy is majority owned by Callisto (see BioCentury, Dec. 19, 2011). ...