Idenix Pharmaceuticals Files Patent Infringement, Interference Lawsuits Against Gilead Sciences

Idenix Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: IDIX) today announced that it has filed two lawsuits against Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD): a patent infringement lawsuit in the United States District Court in Boston, Massachusetts and a separate patent infringement and interference lawsuit in the United States District Court in Wilmington, Delaware. The Massachusetts infringement lawsuit alleges that Gilead infringes two U.S. patents co-owned by Idenix (6,914,054 and 7,608,597) that cover methods of treating the hepatitis C virus using 2'-methyl nucleosides. In this lawsuit, Idenix is seeking a declaration that Gilead's imminent distribution, importation, use, sale or offer to sell drugs containing sofosbuvir, a 2'-methyl nucleoside compound, infringes Idenix's patents. The Delaware infringement and interference lawsuit alleges that Gilead infringes a separate U.S. patent co-owned by Idenix (7,608,600) that covers methods of treating the hepatitis C virus using 2'-methyl-2'-fluoro nucleosides. Idenix is seeking a declaration that Gilead's imminent distribution, importation, use, sale or offer to sell drugs containing sofosbuvir infringes the Idenix '600 patent. Additionally, the Delaware lawsuit asserts a claim for interfering patents between the Idenix '600 patent See full press release