Biotech Values

[DewDiligence]

Jury Rules Roche Infringes Amgen's EPO Patents

[Roche has said it will appeal but will not launch Mircera ‘at risk’. The penultimate paragraph of this PR is pure AMGN propaganda, IMO.]

http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/071023/20071023006258.html?.v=1

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Tuesday October 23, 12:16 pm ET

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN ) announced today that a jury in the U.S. Federal District Court in Boston ruled that Roche’s pegylated-erythropoietin (peg-EPO) product MIRCERA infringes 11 Amgen EPO patent claims.

Amgen is pleased with the jury’s verdict and will now seek an injunction to prevent Roche from commercializing its peg-EPO product in the United States in violation of Amgen’s affirmed patent rights. The injunction hearing is scheduled for Nov. 15, 2007.

In addition to infringing its EPO patents, Amgen firmly believes Roche’s peg-EPO product provides no clinical or patient benefit over Amgen’s innovative therapies, EPOGEN® (Epoetin alfa) and Aranesp® (darbepoetin alfa).

Amgen remains committed to investing in innovative research and to delivering medicines that treat grievous illness and meet unmet medical needs.
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