In a significant legal ruling, a federal jury in Delaware has determined that Amgen Inc.’s leukemia treatment, Blincyto, infringes on patents held by Germany’s Lindis Biotech GmbH. The jury awarded Lindis $50.3 million in damages, marking a pivotal moment in the ongoing battle over intellectual property rights in the pharmaceutical industry.
The jury’s verdict, made public on Wednesday, found that Amgen willfully infringed two patents related to immunotherapy innovations. This finding of willfulness could potentially increase the damages awarded to Lindis to as much as $150.9 million, should the court decide to impose enhanced penalties.
Amgen expressed disappointment with the verdict and announced plans to challenge the decision. “We believe the evidence does not support the jury’s findings,” stated an Amgen spokesperson. Lindis Biotech representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The lawsuit stems from a complaint filed by Lindis in 2022, alleging that Blincyto violated patents concerning methods for reducing side effects associated with bispecific antibodies used to activate the immune system against cancer cells. In 2023, Amgen reported $566 million in U.S. sales from Blincyto, underscoring the drug’s financial significance.
Amgen has consistently denied the allegations, arguing that the patents in question are invalid. The case is officially titled *Lindis Biotech GmbH v. Amgen Inc.*, and is being heard in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware (Case No. 1:22-cv-00035).
The legal teams representing both parties include prominent attorneys from Saul Ewing for Lindis and Perkins Coie along with O’Melveny & Myers for Amgen.
As the pharmaceutical industry grapples with patent disputes and regulatory challenges, this case highlights the critical importance of intellectual property rights in fostering innovation while ensuring fair competition.
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