ABLYNX WINS PATENT OPPOSITION CASE AGAINST DOMANTIS (GSK)
(Thomson Reuters ONE) - GHENT, Belgium, 11 February 2010 - Ablynx [Euronext Brussels: ABLX] todayannounced that it has been successful in the opposition that it had filed in2007 against the European Patent 1 517 921, which was granted in 2006 toDomantis (now a member of the GlaxoSmithKline group of companies). As a result,the Opposition Division of the European Patent Office yesterday decided torevoke the Domantis patent in full. If this decision becomes final, all theclaims of this patent as originally granted will be deemed to have neverexisted.The European Patent 1 517 921 related to one specific technique for thehalf-life extension of immunoglobulin single variable domains. Without thispatent, the techniques described in this patent can be applied by Ablynx and itspartners in Europe for their internal and partnered programmes without Domantisbeing able to assert this patent against such activities in Europe.Edwin Moses, CEO and Chairman of Ablynx, commented:"This is the result that we always anticipated. From all the evidence availableto us, we strongly believe that our current half-life extension technologiescurrently outperform those of GSK/Domantis, and that once this patent has beenfinally revoked, we and our partners can be confident that we will have yetanother half-life extension technology available to us that we can use withoutbeing encumbered by third party patent rights. This is in addition to our ownproprietary NExpedite(®) technology, which is showing ever greater promise. Allthis will allow us to even further exploit our already well establishedtechnical lead over GSK/Domantis, which is for example evidenced by our recentadvances in making Nanobodies against some complex targets and classes oftargets (such as G-Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs), ion channels and viruses).Also, our Nanobody technology has extensive patent protection and four Nanobodybased products are currently in clinical trials."Domantis is expected to appeal the decision by the Opposition Division, butAblynx sees no reason why the arguments that were successful for Ablynx in theopposition proceedings should not be equally successful in appeal. Under theprovisions of the European Patent Convention, an appeal filed by Domantis willsuspend the decision of the Opposition Division. -ends-For more information, please contact:College Hill Life Sciences - for International media enquiries:Sue Charles, Justine Lamondt: +44 (0)20 7866 7857f: +44 (0)20 7866 7900e: ablynx(at)collegehill.com
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Datum: 11.02.2010 - 18:30 Uhr
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