Court upholds Zeneca's right to market Casodex.WILMINGTON, Del.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 4, 1996--Zeneca Inc. today announced that the U.S. District Court in Delaware has granted summary judgment in Zeneca's favor on litigation An action brought in court to enforce a particular right. The act or process of bringing a lawsuit in and of itself; a judicial contest; any dispute. When a person begins a civil lawsuit, the person enters into a process called litigation. brought by Schering Corporation in connection with the recently introduced Zeneca product, Casodex(R) (bicalutamide), for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer prostate cancer, cancer originating in the prostate gland. Prostate cancer is the leading malignancy in men in the United States and is second only to lung cancer as a cause of cancer death in men. . Schering's claim, contested vigorously by Zeneca, concerned an alleged infringement of a patent covering the FDA-approved use of Casodex in combination with an LHRH LHRH abbr. luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone LHRH Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone, GnRH, gonadotropin-releasing hormone, LRH, LRF Endocrinology A decapeptide synthesized by hypothalamic neurons which agonist agonist /ag·o·nist/ (ag´ah-nist) 1. one involved in a struggle or competition. 2. agonistic muscle. 3. . This litigation related solely to the combination use of Casodex in the U.S. Zeneca moved for summary judgment on a preliminary issue concerning the validity of a patent license granted to Zeneca by Roussel UCLAF Roussel Uclaf is a French company, headquartered in Romainville. It is involved in healthcare, agro-chemical, animal health and related fields, although in 1994, many of its non-core activities were transferred to Hoechst Schering AgrEvo GmBH in Germany. SA, which authorizes Zeneca to offer Casodex for use in combination therapy. Roussel UCLAF SA is the joint owner in the U.S. with Schering of the patent in dispute. The court's action confirms the validity of the patent license granted to Zeneca by Roussel UCLAF and disposes of any charges of infringement. Schering has appealed this decision. In the fall of 1995, Zeneca received expedited U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for use of Casodex in combination with LHRH agonists in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer. Zeneca has also received marketing approvals for Casodex in the UK, France, Denmark, Canada, Holland, Switzerland, Finland, Ireland, and Spain. Casodex has been extremely well received by both physicians and patients. Casodex is marketed in the U.S. by Zeneca Pharmaceuticals, a business unit of Zeneca Inc., a $2.5 billion bioscience company with 6500 employees and 45 manufacturing and R&D sites in 29 states. Zeneca Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the UK-based Zeneca Group PLC (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :ZEN), a major international bioscience business with annual sales of more than $7 billion. CONTACT: Zeneca Inc., Wilmington Media Contacts: Judith Auchard, (302)886-3638 or Zeneca Pharmaceuticals Joel Tau, (302)886-7858 or Investor Relations Investor relations The process by which the corporation communicates with its investors. : Edward Seage, (302)886-4065 |
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