Progenics asserts ownership of PMSA-617 intellectual property

Progenics (PGNX) announced that it has asserted ownership of worldwide composition of matter patent filings related to PSMA-617, a PSMA targeted radiopharmaceutical compound under development by Novartis (NVS) for the treatment of prostate cancer. The company asserts that PSMA-617 arose from sponsored research collaborations between the University of Heidelberg and Molecular Insight Pharmaceuticals, or MIP, prior to its acquisition by Progenics. Pursuant to those collaborations, the University performed analyses of multiple PSMA targeting compounds that were proprietary to and discovered by MIP, and that MIP shared with the University pursuant to defined research agreements. MIP has the full rights to the sponsored research, including intellectual property arising from the work. Without Progenics’ knowledge or consent, the invention claimed in the worldwide patent filings was exclusively licensed to ABX GmbH, and, thereafter sub-licensed to Endocyte, which was recently acquired by Novartis. MIP filed a complaint against the University in the District Court of Mannheim in Germany. On February 27, Endocyte, a wholly owned subsidiary of Novartis, filed a motion to intervene in the German litigation. Endocyte is the exclusive licensee of the patent rights that are the subject of the German proceedings. On December 10, 2018, the European Patent Office granted MIP’s request and stayed the examination of these patent applications effective November 27, 2018. MIP’s filing with the USPTO takes the position that, in light of the collaboration and contracts between MIP and the University, MIP is the co-owner of these pending U.S. patent applications
https://thefly.com/landingPageNews.php?id=2879101