high match confidence
Sentence-level differences:
- Reworded sentence: "and elsewhere in the world, and, to date, the law and practice remains in flux both in the agencies that grant patents and in the courts."
- Reworded sentence: "54 54 54 There has been, and we expect that there may continue to be, significant litigation and other disputes in the pharmaceutical industry regarding patents and other intellectual property rights."
- Removed sentence: "On July 24, 2020, we filed a lawsuit against Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited (“Sun”) in the U.S."
- Removed sentence: "District Court for the District of Delaware alleging infringement of our U.S."
- Removed sentence: "10,646,481 (“the ’481 patent”)."
Current (2025):
There is considerable uncertainty within our industry about the validity, scope, and enforceability of many issued patents in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world, and, to date, the law and practice remains in flux both in the agencies that grant patents and in the courts. We…
Read full text
There is considerable uncertainty within our industry about the validity, scope, and enforceability of many issued patents in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world, and, to date, the law and practice remains in flux both in the agencies that grant patents and in the courts. We cannot currently determine the ultimate scope and validity of patents which may be granted to third parties in the future or which patents might be asserted as being infringed by the manufacture, use and sale of our products. 54 54 54 There has been, and we expect that there may continue to be, significant litigation and other disputes in the pharmaceutical industry regarding patents and other intellectual property rights. Litigation, arbitrations, administrative proceedings, and other legal actions with private parties and governmental authorities concerning patents and other intellectual property rights may be protracted, expensive, and distracting to management. Competitors may sue us as a way of delaying the introduction of our products or to remove our products from the market. Any litigation, including litigation related to Abbreviated New Drug Applications (“ANDA”), litigation related to 505(b)(2) applications, interference proceedings to determine priority of inventions, derivations proceedings, inter partes review, oppositions to patents in foreign countries, litigation against our collaborators or similar actions, may be costly and time consuming and could harm our business. We expect that litigation may be necessary in some instances to determine the validity and scope of certain of our proprietary rights. Litigation may be necessary in other instances to determine the validity, scope or non-infringement of certain patent rights claimed by third parties to be pertinent to the manufacture, use or sale of our products. Ultimately, the outcome of such litigation could adversely affect the validity and scope of our patent or other proprietary rights, hinder our ability to manufacture and market our products, or result in the assessment of significant monetary damages against us that may exceed amounts, if any, accrued in our consolidated financial statements. On July 22, 2022, we filed a lawsuit against Lupin in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware alleging infringement of U.S. Patent Nos. 10,646,481 (“the ’481 patent”), 8,883,206 (“the ’206 patent”), 10,272,046 (“the ’046 patent”), and 11,147,770 (“the ’770 patent”). The lawsuit follows our receipt of a Notice Letter on June 9, 2022, advising that Lupin had submitted an ANDA to the FDA seeking approval to manufacture and market a generic version of KALYDECO granules in the U.S. The Notice Letter indicated that Lupin submitted a “Paragraph IV” certification to the FDA in which Lupin asserts that the ’481 patent, the ’206 patent, and the ’046 patent are invalid or would not be infringed by Lupin’s generic product. On February 28, 2023, U.S. Patent No. 11,564,916 (“the ‘916 patent”) was listed in the Orange Book as covering KALYDECO granules. By letter dated April 25, 2023, Lupin notified us that it had amended its ANDA to include a Paragraph IV certification with respect to the ’916 patent. On May 26, 2023, we filed a lawsuit against Lupin in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware alleging infringement of the ’916 patent. On October 11, 2023, U.S. Patent No. 11,752,106 (the “’106 patent”) was listed in the Orange Book as covering KALYDECO granules. By letter dated February 27, 2024, Lupin notified Vertex that it had amended its ANDA to include a Paragraph IV certification with respect to the ‘106 patent. On April 11, 2024, Vertex filed a lawsuit against Lupin in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware alleging infringement of the ‘106 patent. The Court subsequently entered a scheduling order, which consolidated the lawsuit asserting infringement of the ‘106 patent with the earlier filed lawsuits asserting infringement of the ‘481, ‘206, ‘046, ‘770, and ‘916 patents. A three-day trial is scheduled for September 15, 2025. Other than the ’770 patent, which was listed in the Orange Book on April 14, 2022, Lupin does not appear to challenge our other U.S. patents covering KALYDECO granules, the last of which expires on August 5, 2027. Therefore, regardless of the outcome of the litigation, Lupin cannot receive final approval of its ANDA before that date. We intend to vigorously enforce our intellectual property rights relating to KALYDECO granules and the ’481, ’206, ’046, ’770, ’916, and ’106 patents. CRISPR has licensed certain rights to a worldwide patent portfolio that covers various aspects of the CRISPR/Cas9 editing platform technology including, for example, compositions of matter and methods of use in targeting or cutting DNA from Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier, one of the named inventors of this patent portfolio. The patent portfolio also has named inventors who assigned their rights to the CVC Group. For example, in connection with their collaboration, Novartis and Intellia Therapeutics, Inc. have reportedly obtained a license to this patent portfolio in certain fields. Both the CVC Group and Broad have obtained granted patents that purport to cover aspects of CRISPR/Cas9 editing platform technology. Patents and patent applications in this patent portfolio have been the subject of numerous contentious proceedings in the U.S., Europe, and other jurisdictions, including interference proceedings in the USPTO between the CVC Group and (separately) Broad, Sigma-Aldrich and ToolGen. On February 28, 2021, the USPTO issued a decision in Interference No. 106, 115, concluding that Broad invented certain applications of CRISPR/Cas9 technology in eukaryotic cells before the CVC Group. The CVC Group has appealed the decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. If the decision is upheld on appeal (including a potential subsequent appeal to the Supreme Court), Broad would maintain its granted patents directed to those applications CRISPR/Cas9 technology in eukaryotic cells, and the CVC Group’s pending patent applications directed to that subject matter would not proceed to grant. We can give no assurances to the ultimate outcome of these proceedings or the disputes between the CVC Group and Broad, Sigma-Aldrich and ToolGen. In December 2023, we entered into an agreement with Editas, providing us a non-exclusive sublicense to certain patents relating to CRISPR/Cas9 technology owned by Broad and Harvard, which are licensed to Editas. In addition to Broad, other third parties have filed patent applications claiming CRISPR/Cas9-related inventions and may allege that they invented one or more of the inventions claimed by the CVC Group. Thus, the USPTO may, in the future, 55 55 55 declare an interference between certain CVC Group patent applications and one or more patent applications. Third parties could seek to assert their patents, if issued, against us based on our CRISPR/Cas9-based activities, including commercialization. Defense of these claims, regardless of their merit, could involve substantial litigation expense and could result in a substantial diversion of management and other employee resources from our business. In the event of a successful claim of infringement against us, we may have to pay substantial damages, obtain one or more licenses from third parties, pay royalties or redesign our infringing products, which may be impossible or require substantial time and monetary expenditure. In that event, we could be unable to further develop and commercialize CASGEVY or other products that we may develop using the CRISPR/Cas9 technology we license from CRISPR. To the extent that valid present or future third-party patents or other intellectual property rights cover our products, product candidates or technologies, we or our strategic collaborators may seek licenses or other agreements from the holders of such rights to avoid or settle legal claims. Such licenses may not be available on acceptable terms, which may hinder our ability to, or prevent us from being able to, manufacture and market our products. Payments under any licenses that we are able to obtain would reduce our profits derived from the covered products.
View prior text (2024)
There is considerable uncertainty within our industry about the validity, scope, and enforceability of many issued patents in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world, and, to date, the law and practice remains in flux both in the agencies that grant 51 51 51 patents and in the courts. We cannot currently determine the ultimate scope and validity of patents which may be granted to third parties in the future or which patents might be asserted as being infringed by the manufacture, use and sale of our products. There has been, and we expect that there may continue to be, significant litigation in the pharmaceutical industry regarding patents and other intellectual property rights. Litigation, arbitrations, administrative proceedings, and other legal actions with private parties and governmental authorities concerning patents and other intellectual property rights may be protracted, expensive, and distracting to management. Competitors may sue us as a way of delaying the introduction of our products or to remove our products from the market. Any litigation, including litigation related to Abbreviated New Drug Applications (“ANDA”), litigation related to 505(b)(2) applications, interference proceedings to determine priority of inventions, derivations proceedings, inter partes review, oppositions to patents in foreign countries, litigation against our collaborators or similar actions, may be costly and time consuming and could harm our business. We expect that litigation may be necessary in some instances to determine the validity and scope of certain of our proprietary rights. Litigation may be necessary in other instances to determine the validity, scope or non-infringement of certain patent rights claimed by third parties to be pertinent to the manufacture, use or sale of our products. Ultimately, the outcome of such litigation could adversely affect the validity and scope of our patent or other proprietary rights, hinder our ability to manufacture and market our products, or result in the assessment of significant monetary damages against us that may exceed amounts, if any, accrued in our consolidated financial statements. On July 24, 2020, we filed a lawsuit against Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited (“Sun”) in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware alleging infringement of our U.S. Patent No. 10,646,481 (“the ’481 patent”). The lawsuit follows our receipt of a Notice Letter on June 11, 2020, advising that Sun had submitted an ANDA to the FDA seeking approval to manufacture and market a generic version of the 150 mg tablet of KALYDECO in the U.S. The Notice Letter indicated that Sun submitted a “Paragraph IV” certification to the FDA in which Sun asserts that the ’481 patent is invalid or would not be infringed by Sun’s generic product. The ’481 patent, which expires on August 13, 2029, was issued on May 12, 2020, and listed in the Orange Book with respect to the KALYDECO tablet on June 1, 2020. By letter dated June 5, 2023, Sun notified us that it had amended its ANDA to include a Paragraph IV certification with respect to our U.S. Patent No. 11,564,916 (“the ’916 patent”), which issued on January 31, 2023, is related to the ’481 patent and was listed in the FDA’s Orange Book on February 28, 2023. On June 16, 2023, we filed a lawsuit against Sun in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware alleging infringement of the ’916 patent. In December 2023, we settled the case against Sun. The terms of the settlement are confidential. On July 13, 2021, we filed a lawsuit against Lupin Limited and Lupin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (collectively, “Lupin”) in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware alleging infringement of the ’481 patent. The lawsuit follows our receipt of a Notice Letter on June 2, 2021, advising that Lupin had submitted an ANDA to the FDA seeking approval to manufacture and market a generic version of the 150 mg tablet of KALYDECO in the U.S. The Notice Letter indicated that Lupin submitted a “Paragraph IV” certification to the FDA in which Lupin asserts that the ’481 patent is invalid or would not be infringed by Lupin’s generic product. By letter dated April 25, 2023, Lupin notified us that it had amended its ANDA to include a Paragraph IV certification with respect to the ’916 patent. On May 26, 2023, we filed a lawsuit against Lupin in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware alleging infringement of the ’916 patent. In November 2023, we settled the case against Lupin. The terms of the settlement agreement are confidential. On June 2, 2022, we filed a lawsuit against Aurobindo Pharma Limited (“Aurobindo”) in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware alleging infringement of the ’481 patent. The lawsuit follows our receipt of a Notice Letter on April 21, 2022, advising that Aurobindo had submitted an ANDA to the FDA seeking approval to manufacture and market a generic version of the 150 mg tablet of KALYDECO in the U.S. The Notice Letter indicated that Aurobindo submitted a “Paragraph IV” certification to the FDA in which Aurobindo asserts that the ’481 patent is invalid or would not be infringed by Aurobindo’s generic product. By letter dated April 12, 2023, Aurobindo notified us that it had amended its ANDA to include a Paragraph IV certification with respect to the ’916 patent. On May 26, 2023, we filed a lawsuit against Aurobindo in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware alleging infringement of the ’916 patent. In November 2023, we settled the case against Aurobindo. The terms of the settlement agreement are confidential. On July 22, 2022, we filed a lawsuit against Lupin in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware alleging infringement of the ’481 patent and U.S. Patent Nos. 8,883,206 (“the ’206 patent”), 10,272,046 (“the ’046 patent”), and 11,147,770 (“the ’770 patent”). The lawsuit follows our receipt of a Notice Letter on June 9, 2022, advising that Lupin had submitted an ANDA to the FDA seeking approval to manufacture and market a generic version of KALYDECO granules in 52 52 52 the U.S. The Notice Letter indicated that Lupin submitted a “Paragraph IV” certification to the FDA in which Lupin asserts that the ’481 patent, the ’206 patent, and the ’046 patent are invalid or would not be infringed by Lupin’s generic product. By letter dated April 25, 2023, Lupin notified us that it had amended its ANDA to include a Paragraph IV certification with respect to the ’916 patent. On May 26, 2023, we filed a lawsuit against Lupin in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware alleging infringement of the ’916 patent. On October 11, 2023, U.S. Patent No. 11,752,106 (the “’106 patent”) was listed in the Orange Book as covering KALYDECO granules. We have not yet received notification that Lupin has submitted a “Paragraph IV” certification for the ’106 patent. Other than the ’770 patent, which was listed in the Orange Book on April 14, 2022, Lupin does not appear to challenge our other U.S. patents covering KALYDECO granules, the last of which expires on August 5, 2027. Therefore, regardless of the outcome of the litigation, Lupin cannot receive final approval of its ANDA before that date. A scheduling order has been entered by the court and trial is set for April 2025. We intend to vigorously enforce our intellectual property rights relating to KALYDECO granules and the ’481, ’206, ’046, ’770, ’916, and ’106 patents. CRISPR has licensed certain rights to a worldwide patent portfolio that covers various aspects of the CRISPR/Cas9 editing platform technology including, for example, compositions of matter and methods of use in targeting or cutting DNA from Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier, one of the named inventors of this patent portfolio. The patent portfolio also has named inventors who assigned their rights to the CVC Group. For example, in connection with their collaboration, Novartis and Intellia Therapeutics, Inc. have reportedly obtained a license to this patent portfolio in certain fields. Both the CVC Group and Broad have obtained granted patents that purport to cover aspects of CRISPR/Cas9 editing platform technology. Patents and patent applications in this patent portfolio have been the subject of numerous contentious proceedings in the U.S., Europe, and other jurisdictions, including interference proceedings in the USPTO between the CVC Group and (separately) Broad, Sigma-Aldrich and ToolGen. On February 28, 2021, the USPTO issued a decision in Interference No. 106, 115, concluding that Broad invented certain applications of CRISPR/Cas9 technology in eukaryotic cells before the CVC Group. The CVC Group has appealed the decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. If the decision is upheld on appeal (including a potential subsequent appeal to the Supreme Court), Broad would maintain its granted patents directed to those applications CRISPR/Cas9 technology in eukaryotic cells, and the CVC Group’s pending patent applications directed to that subject matter would not proceed to grant. We can give no assurances to the ultimate outcome of these proceedings or the disputes between the CVC Group and Broad, Sigma-Aldrich and ToolGen. In December 2023, we entered into an agreement with Editas, providing us a non-exclusive sublicense to certain patents relating to CRISPR/Cas9 technology owned by Broad and Harvard, which are licensed to Editas. In addition to Broad, other third parties have filed patent applications claiming CRISPR/Cas9-related inventions and may allege that they invented one or more of the inventions claimed by the CVC Group. Thus, the USPTO may, in the future, declare an interference between certain CVC Group patent applications and one or more patent applications. Third parties could seek to assert their patents, if issued, against us based on our CRISPR/Cas9-based activities, including commercialization. Defense of these claims, regardless of their merit, could involve substantial litigation expense and could result in a substantial diversion of management and other employee resources from our business. In the event of a successful claim of infringement against us, we may have to pay substantial damages, obtain one or more licenses from third parties, pay royalties or redesign our infringing products, which may be impossible or require substantial time and monetary expenditure. In that event, we could be unable to further develop and commercialize CASGEVY or other products that we may develop using the CRISPR/Cas9 technology we license from CRISPR. To the extent that valid present or future third-party patents or other intellectual property rights cover our products, product candidates or technologies, we or our strategic collaborators may seek licenses or other agreements from the holders of such rights to avoid or settle legal claims. Such licenses may not be available on acceptable terms, which may hinder our ability to, or prevent us from being able to, manufacture and market our products. Payments under any licenses that we are able to obtain would reduce our profits derived from the covered products.