By Elias Schisgall
Halozyme was granted a preliminary injunction that would prevent Merck & Co. from distributing a formulation of Keytruda in Germany as part of a patent-infringement dispute over the cancer treatment.
The Munich Regional Court ruled Thursday there was imminent infringement for Merck & Co.'s Keytruda SC in Germany related to Halozyme's MDASE patents in Europe, the San Diego company said.
The ruling applies only to the subcutaneous formulation of Merck & Co.'s treatment, rather than the intravenous formulation, which Halozyme said isn't covered by its own patents.
In a statement, a Merck & Co. spokesperson said the Rahway, N.J., company disagrees with the court's ruling.
"We consider Halozyme's patent to be invalid globally and their allegation of infringement to be without merit," the spokesperson said. "We are confident in our legal position and believe that, ultimately, we will prevail in the courts."
Merck & Co. separately launched nullity proceedings against Halozyme's patent in German Federal Patent Court in August.
Halozyme also has brought legal action against Merck & Co. in New Jersey federal courts to block the company from distributing Keytruda SC in the U.S.
Write to Elias Schisgall at elias.schisgall@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
12-04-25 1544ET
