Biogen Idec sues rivals in US over Avonex patent
This article was originally published in Scrip
Executive Summary
Biogen Idec has filed a lawsuit accusing rival firms Bayer, Novartis, Pfizer and Merck KGaA unit EMD Serono of infringing a US patent issued last September for its multiple sclerosis treatment Avonex (interferon beta-1a), and it is seeking royalties. The suit came one day after Bayer filed a lawsuit in the same court, seeking a ruling that the patent is invalid and that importation of Bayer's rival product does not infringe or induce infringement.