During a monthslong legal dispute between Merck and John Hopkins University over Keytruda patents, the drugmaker raised the issue to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, JD Supra reported March 13.
In early March, Merck filed four inter partes reviews, or complaints that allege invalid patents, against the Baltimore-based university. The filings coincide with litigation between Johns Hopkins and Keytruda's manufacturer, which have been ongoing since November 2022.
The lawsuit was also filed by Merck. The two organizations collaborated on a clinical study of Keytruda (pembrolizumab), and after the trial, Merck alleged Johns Hopkins "improperly exclusively licensed these patents to others," the complaint says. "JHU then tried to use these patents to demand payment from Merck for use of Keytruda."
In a 60-page response, Johns Hopkins accused Merck of infringing on the university's patents for Keytruda.
Becker's has reached out to Johns Hopkins University and will update the article if more information becomes available.