Life sciences companies face off over ‘Juno’ trademark

Clinical-stage biotech company Juno Therapeutics has not taken kindly to another business using its name.

On Monday, July 24, Juno Therapeutics sued Juno Biomedical at the US District Court for the Northern District of California.

Juno Biomedical, a company that is trying to create a medical device that can heal brain tissue damage, was accused of trademark infringement, unfair competition and false designation of origin.

Founded in 2015, Juno Therapeutics uses its ‘Juno Therapeutics’ trademark for materials that are distributed to clinical sites in connection with its clinical trials, along with a design mark and the trademark ‘Juno’.

It has also developed packaging featuring the marks for immunotherapy products used in clinical trials.

Juno Therapeutics owns US trademark registration number 5,050,104 for ‘Juno Therapeutics’, covering “Pharmaceutical preparations for the treatment of cancer, excluding medicated skin care preparations”, in class 5.

The suing company claimed that Juno Biomedical first adopted the ‘Juno Biomedical’ mark and trade name in 2014.

In January last year, Juno Therapeutics sent a cease-and-desist letter to Juno Biomedical, but according to the suit, the defendant said it would not cease use because there was no likelihood of consumer confusion.

“Defendant’s conduct is ongoing and will continue unless restrained by the court. Unless defendant is enjoined from engaging in the wrongful conduct … plaintiff will suffer irreparable injury and further harm,” said the suit.

Juno Therapeutics is seeking injunctive relief, destruction of infringing materials, enhanced damages, attorneys’ fees, and a jury trial.

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