Here is IP Think Tank’s weekly selection of top Pharma & Biotech intellectual property news breaking in the blogosphere and internet.
Please join the discussion by adding your comments on any of these stories, and please do let us know if you think we’ve missed something important, or if there is a source you think should be monitored.
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Highlights this week included:
EPO Enlarged Board of Appeal turns down Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) stem cell application (IAM) (IPKat) (EPO)
European Commission releases preliminary report on investigation into competition in the pharmaceutical industry (IP Think Tank) (Europa)
TriCor (Fenofibrate) – US: Abbott agrees to pay $184 million to settle antitrust claims brought by Teva, Impax and others accusing the company of unfairly blocking generic TriCor (Law360) (GenericsWeb)
Pulmicort (Budesonide) – US: AstraZeneca, Teva enter patent litigation settlement agreement allowing Teva to market generic Pulmicort (Law360) (Law360) (GenericsWeb)
General
IP in biotechnology in need of a new start, experts say (Intellectual Property Watch)
Innovation Partnership report ‘Toward a New Era of Intellectual Property: From Confrontation to Negotiation – A Report from the International Expert Group on Biotechnology, Innovation and Intellectual Property’ (Patent Librarian’s Notebook)
Australia: Senate launches enquiry into impact of granting gene patents (Managing Intellectual Property)
Europe: European Commission releases preliminary report on investigation into competition in the pharmaceutical industry (IP Think Tank) (Europa)
Europe: EPO Enlarged Board of Appeal turns down Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) stem cell application (IAM) (IPKat) (EPO)
Europe: University of Utah achieves (modest?) victories in fight for European BRCA patents (Holman’s Biotech IP Blog)
Europe: European Commission proposes strategy for dealing with rare diseases (Pharmacapsules @ Gowlings)
US: Former House Ways and Means Economist claims 7-year data exclusive period is sufficient (Patent Docs)
US: Medco predicts follow-on biologics regulatory pathway by 2011 (Patent Docs)
US: Even after patent has expired, District Court has jurisdiction to set exclusivity date: In re Omeprazole Patent Litigation (GenericsWeb)
Products
Alimta (Pemetrexed) – US: Eli Lilly, Princeton University file suit against Teva to block generic Alminta 100mg (Law360)
Amrix (Cyclobenzaprine) – US: Cephalon files patent infringement suit against Mylan and Barr to halt generic Amrix (Law360)
Arzoxifene – India: Kolkata Patent Office issues Arzoxifene polymorph patent to Eli Lilly (Patent Circle)
Boniva (Ibandronic acid) – US: Hoffmann-La Roche and Apotex drop all claims and counterclaims related to one patent in dispute over Boniva (Law360)
Crestor (Rosuvastatin) – US: Magistrate judge recommends mix of pre-trial rulings as Astra-Zeneca seeks to defend Crestor patent against multiple generic-drug makers (Law360)
Cymbalta (Duloxetine) – US: Eli Lilly adds Aurobindo Pharma and Lupin to long list of companies it has sued to block generic Cymbalta (Law360)
Glivec (Imatinib) – India: IPAB begins hearings over Glivec pre-grant rejection (Spicy IP)
Iressa (Gefitinib) – GenericsWeb analysis of patent landscape surrounding Iressa (GenericsWeb)
Plavix (Clopidogrel) – Canada: Supreme Court upholds selection patent: Apotex Inc v Sanofi-Synthelabo Canada Inc (International Law Office)
Pulmicort (Budesonide) – US: AstraZeneca, Teva enter patent litigation settlement agreement allowing Teva to market generic Pulmicort (Law360) (Law360) (GenericsWeb)
Q-Drench (Abamectin, Albendazole, Closantel, Levamisole) – Australia: Jurox successfully defends patent infringement proceedings in Federal Court appeal: Nufarm Ltd & Anor v Jurox Pty Ltd (Sparke Helmore)
TriCor (Fenofibrate) – US: Abbott agrees to pay $184 million to settle antitrust claims brought by Teva, Impax and others accusing the company of unfairly blocking generic TriCor (Law360) (GenericsWeb)
Viagra (Sildenafil) – Poland: Pfizer’s opposition to VIAGREEN to wait until Poland Patent Office’s decision rejecting Pfizer’s opposition against word-figurative trade mark BIO-ACTIVE VIA’ GREEN HERBATA ZIELONA Z ŻEŃ-SZENIEM SYBERYJSKIM enters into force (Class 46)
Zemplar (Paricalcitol) – US: Abbott Laboratories and Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation initiate patent lawsuit to halt Teva from marketing generic Zemplar (Law360) (Patent Prospector)