Biotech Values

[DewDiligence]

Judge Tentatively Bars Sale of Roche’s Mircera

[The judge ruled that Roche’s preemptive offer of a 20% royalty to AMGN (#msg-26514106) is inadequate. The ball is now back in Roche’s court.]

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080228/amgen_roche_patent.html

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Thursday February 28, 3:03 pm ET

BOSTON (AP) -- A federal judge in Massachusetts has tentatively barred Roche Holding AG from selling its anemia drug in the United States after a jury found it violated an Amgen Inc. patent.

But U.S. District Judge William Young said Thursday he is open to allowing sales of the drug Mircera if Roche agrees to certain conditions.

Those conditions include paying a slightly higher royalty to Amgen. Roche must also guarantee that it won't charge higher prices than those for existing anemia drugs.

The judge gave Roche three months to think about the conditions.

Switzerland-based Roche won approval to sell Mircera in November but sales have been held up by the patent dispute.
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