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Silence Therapeutics Announces Successful Opposition of Glover Patent
Silence Therapeutics plc has announced the successful opposition of a fundamental Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. European patent resulting in the patent being revoked in its entirety.
The Opposition Division of the European Patent Office, following a three day hearing, announced its decision to revoke European Patent EP 1 230 375, exclusively licensed to Alnylam Pharmaceuticals from Cancer Research Technology, Ltd (UK).
The Patent, commonly referred to as the “Glover” patent, broadly relates to medicaments comprising an RNA interference mediating RNA molecule.
Opposition briefs to the Glover patent had been filed by Silence Therapeutics AG, Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH, Quark Biotech, Inc., Sirna Therapeutics, and Nucleonics, Inc.
In the course of the oral hearing which lasted from July 08 to July 10, 2008, Cancer Research Technology Ltd. filed a total of seven auxiliary requests so as to defend the patent in a limited manner. None of these requests was able to overcome the concerns of the Opposition Division that the patent was legally invalid. Cancer Research Technology and Alnylam are expected to appeal the decision.
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