The PTAB remains a busy venue for biologics patents.  Here are some IPR updates from the weeks since our last IPR update:

HERCEPTIN

• On October 4, the Board instituted IPR on four petitions that Celltrion had filed on Genentech patents related to Herceptin® (trastuzumab): IPR2017-01121 (challenging U.S. Patent 7,846,441); IPR2017-01122 (challenging U.S. Patent No. 7,892,549); IPR2017-01139 (challenging U.S. Patent No. 6,627,196); and IPR2017-01140 (challenging U.S. Patent No. 7,371,379).  See our earlier posts here and here for more information on the petitions.  In addition, Pfizer has filed a petition for IPR (IPR2018-00016) of Genentech’s U.S. Patent No. 7,846,441, along with a motion for joinder with Celltrion’s instituted IPR2017-01121.  Pfizer’s motion for joinder remains pending.  Hospira’s petition for IPR of the same patent (IPR2017-00731 (U.S. Patent No. 7,846,441)) was instituted by the Board on October 26 in a decision also granting Hospira’s request for rehearing of the Board’s earlier decision denying institution of the petition.

• On October 13, the Board instituted IPR on Samsung’s petition for IPR (IPR2017-01960) challenging Genentech’s U.S. Patent 7,892,549, and granted Samsung’s motion for joinder with Hospira’s petition (IPR2017-00739) challenging the same patent, which has been instituted by the Board.

RITUXAN

• On October 6, Pfizer filed petitions for IPR of two Biogen and Genentech patents related to Rituxan® (rituximab): IPR2017-02126, challenging U.S. Patent No. 7,682,612 (directed to methods of treating chronic lymphocytic leukemia in certain patients with certain regimens of rituximab treatment), and IPR2017-02127, challenging U.S. Patent No. 8,206,711 (directed to methods of treating chronic lymphocytic leukemia with certain regimens of rituximab treatment).

• The Board ruled on several petitions filed by Celltrion related to Rituxan® (rituximab).  On October 6, the Board instituted IPR on five of six claims challenged in Celltrion’s petition on U.S. Patent No. 9,296,821 (IPR2017-01095), and denied institution of IPR2017-01093, challenging U.S. Patent 8,329,172 and IPR2017-01094, challenging U.S. Patent 8,557,244.  On October 12, the Board denied institution of Celltrion’s petition challenging  U.S. Patent No. 7,682,612 (IPR2017-01230).  On October 23, the Board denied institution of Celltrion’s  petitions for IPR challenging Genentech U.S. Patent No. 8,206,711 (IPR2017-01229) and U.S. Patent No. 7,682,612  (IPR2017-01227).