Sigma-Aldrich and Oxford BioMedica File Suit Against Open Biosystems - RNAi

Sigma-Aldrich and Oxford BioMedica File Suit Against Open Biosystems
June 14, 2006
RNAI.net
Sigma-Aldrich and Oxford BioMedica have announced that they have filed a lawsuit against Open Biosystems, Inc. for infringement of key patents that cover key lentiviral-based systems for delivery of foreign DNA to a broad array of mammalian cells.
The complaint, which was filed in U.S. District Court Eastern District of Missouri, alleges that Open Biosystems is infringing U.S. Patent Nos. 6924123 and 7056699.
Rights to the patents, both entitled Lentiviral LTR Deleted Vector, were exclusively licensed for research use to Sigma-Aldrich by Oxford BioMedica in October 2005.
The suit states that, among other products, Open Biosystems' Lentiviral shRNAmir Library is marketed and sold to researchers and research institutions for incorporation into viral particles that infringe one or more claims of the patents.
Sigma-Aldrich has invested in its RNAi program through significant intellectual property and licensing activities.
The lawsuit filed against Open Biosystems is a result of Sigma-Aldrich's desire to actively protect its intellectual property in this field.
"Sigma-Aldrich has made significant investments in creating the most comprehensive portfolio of intellectual property to allow our customers freedom to operate in the cutting-edge arena of RNA Interference," said Shaf Yousaf, President of Sigma-Aldrich's Research Biotechnology Business Unit.
"Our actions will be to defend our investments and the valuable intellectual property."