22 December 2016Americas

Millennium Pharmaceuticals sues MSN Laboratories over cancer drug

Millennium Pharmaceuticals, now known as Takeda Oncology, has filed a complaint against US-based MSN Laboratories for patent infringement of Velcade (bortezomib), a treatment for cancer.

Velcade is a “proteasome inhibitor, for intravenous or subcutaneous administration”.

The case, which was filed in the US District Court for the District of Delaware on Monday, December 19, arose after MSN filed an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) with the US Food and Drug Administration in November.

The patents involved are US numbers 6,713,446 and 6,958,319, both titled “Formulation of boronic acid compounds”.

Millennium has had an exclusive licence to the patents since December 2002, for the development and manufacture of bortezomib for oncology disease.

Millennium has asked the court to rule that MSN has infringed its licensed patents by filing an ANDA before the expiration of the patents.

It has also asked the court to permanently enjoin MSN from bringing the generic version of Velcade to market.