Roche sues Schering over Patent
Roche has filed a suit in the United States and France, alleging that US group Schering-Plough infringed Roche patents for pegylated interferon, which is used in the treatment of hepatitis c.
Roche has filed a suit in the United States and France, alleging that US group Schering-Plough infringed Roche patents for pegylated interferon, which is used in the treatment of hepatitis c.
‘The focus of the suits is a fibre that is linked to interferon to ensure it is released more slowly into the bloodstream, which in turn reduces the amount of injections patients need,’ a Roche spokesman said.
Roche is asserting that Schering-Plough infringed Roche patents that cover the link and the length of the fibre.
However Shering-Plough’s Robert Consalvo said, ‘The company expects to prevail in this suit.’
Zürcher Kantonalbank estimates that if Roche wins the lawsuit, future interferon sales would fall to Roche, which would be very positive for the company in financial terms.
The bank estimated that Roche had around 270 million Swiss francs in alpha interferon sales in 1999 and Schering more than one billion.
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