Amgen files lawsuit against Regeneron, Sanofi to prevent infringing manufacture of alirocumab

Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) today announced that it filed a lawsuit in the United States (U.S.) District Court of Delaware against Sanofi, Aventisub LLC, formerly doing business as Aventis Pharmaceuticals Inc. (collectively "Sanofi"), and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Regeneron") for patent infringement of U.S. Patent Numbers 8,563,698, 8,829,165, and 8,859,741. These patents, which are owned by Amgen, describe and claim monoclonal antibodies to proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 ("PCSK9").

By its complaint, Amgen seeks an injunction to prevent the infringing manufacture, use and sale of Sanofi and Regeneron's alirocumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting PCSK9. Sanofi and Regeneron recently announced that they have completed Phase 3 clinical trials on alirocumab and intend to pursue regulatory approval to market alirocumab in the U.S.

Amgen previously announced submission of a Biologics License Application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for evolocumab, its own investigational human monoclonal antibody to PCSK9, for the treatment of high cholesterol, on Aug. 28, 2014.