UCB sues MedImmune for patent infringement

Biopharmaceutical company UCB Biopharma has filed a complaint against biotech developer MedImmune for alleged patent infringement.

The case, which was filed in the US District Court for the District of Delaware on Monday, December 12, centred on MedImmune’s Synagis (palivizumab), a therapy used to help prevent lung disease.

UCB owns the patent involved, US number 7,566,771, titled “Humanised antibodies”. It was issued by the US Patent and Trademark Office in July 2009.

The ‘771 patent was granted to Celltech R&D, but UCB is now the owner.

According to the suit, MedImmune’s sale of Synagis has infringed the ‘771 patent since at least January 2011.

In 1998 a Celltech predecessor company licensed a patent (which became the ‘771 patent) to a predecessor of MedImmune, but in 2011 MedImmune terminated the licence.

UCB has asked for triple damags.