Puma Biotechnology Inc filed SEC Form 8-K: Other Events

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Item 8.01.                  Other Events

 

On September 22, 2021, the Company filed suit against AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, LP, AstraZeneca AB, and AstraZeneca PLC for infringement of United States Patent Nos. 10,603,314 (“the '314 patent”) and 10,596,162 (“the '162 patent”) (Puma Biotechnology, Inc. et al. v. AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP et al., 1:21CV01338 (D. Del. Sep. 22, 2021)). The Company’s complaint alleges that AstraZeneca’s commercial manufacture, use, offer for sale, sale, distribution, and/or importation of Tagrisso® (osimertinib) products for the treatment of gefitinib and/or erlotinib-resistant non-small cell lung cancer infringes the ’314 and ’162 patents. The Company is an exclusive licensee of the '314 and '162 patents under the Pfizer Agreement. Wyeth is a co-plaintiff. Plaintiffs seek a judgment that AstraZeneca’s product infringes the asserted patents and an award of monetary damages in an amount to be proven at trial. AstraZeneca AB and AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP filed an answer and counterclaims on November 5, 2021, including claims challenging the asserted patents as not infringed and/or invalid, and accusing plaintiffs of unclean hands and patent misuse. The parties stipulated to dismiss AstraZeneca PLC as a defendant and Pfizer as a Counterclaim Defendant on December 10, 2021, which the Court so ordered on December 13, 2021. The Company filed its answer to AstraZeneca’s counterclaims on December 17, 2021, denying those claims. The case was reassigned to visiting Judge Matthew Kennelly of the Northern District of Illinois. A Markman Hearing was conducted on March 17, 2023, and the Court issued its claim construction decision on March 29, 2023. Fact discovery closed on May 19, 2023, and expert discovery closed on November 17, 2023. The Court denied the parties’ respective motions for summary judgment and Daubert motions, other than to clarify that Plaintiffs’ damages cannot extend to any time period before the asserted patents were issued. The Court granted AstraZeneca’s motion to dismiss the Company as a Plaintiff on constitutional standing grounds but denied the motion to dismiss Wyeth as a Plaintiff on constitutional standing grounds. On April 29, 2024, the Court granted AstraZeneca’s motion to dismiss AstraZeneca’s counterclaims against Puma which removed Puma from the case. Wyeth remained in the case as a Plaintiff and counterclaim-defendant. Under Puma’s worldwide exclusive license agreement with Pfizer, Inc. (the parent of Wyeth) as amended, the Company also maintains contractual rights to recover monetary damages in the AstraZeneca litigation, and those contractual rights are unaffected by the court’s March 18, 2024 and April 29, 2024 orders. A jury trial was held May 13-17, 2024. The jury found in favor of Wyeth and against AstraZeneca. In particular, the jury found that use of Tagrisso® according to each of the three FDA-approved indications infringes the asserted claims of the '314 and '162 patents, and that AstraZeneca induces that infringement. The jury further rejected AstraZeneca’s challenges to the validity of the patents, finding that they are not invalid. The jury awarded damages to Wyeth for past acts of infringement through December 31, 2023, in the amount of $107,500,000. A separate bench trial related to certain equitable claims and defenses raised by AstraZeneca was held before Judge Kennelly on June 20 and 25, 2024. On August 6, 2024, Judge Kennelly issued his ruling on the issues that were tried in the bench trial, finding for Wyeth and against AstraZeneca on all claims and defenses. The Court found that AstraZeneca had not proved its claim that Wyeth’s asserted patents were invalid as indefinite, or that Wyeth had committed acts that would give rise to findings of unclean hands, implied waiver, or patent misuse. AstraZeneca has filed a motion challenging the jury’s verdict and requesting a new trial. Wyeth has filed a motion requesting supplemental damages for past infringement from January 1, 2024, through the date of judgment; pre-and-post judgment interest, and ongoing royalties through the remaining term of the patents. Briefing on these motions from both sides was completed on July 16, 2024. On August 14, 2024, Judge Kennelly ruled on AstraZeneca’s motion challenging the jury’s verdict, granting it in part and denying it in part. The Court granted AstraZeneca’s motion for judgment as a matter of law that the '314 and '162 patents are invalid under 35 U.S.C. § 112 for lacking enablement and adequate written description as to a particular claim limitation. In all other respects, the Court denied AstraZeneca’s motion. The Court entered its final and appealable judgment accordingly. Puma respectfully disagrees with the Court’s ruling regarding invalidity with respect to the particular claim limitation. Wyeth filed a notice of appeal on September 12, 2024 appealing the District Court’s judgment as a matter of law, as well as other rulings and opinions of the Court adverse to Wyeth.

 

 

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Puma Biotechnology, Inc. has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

 

Dated: September 16, 2024