[author: Sherri Oslick]

 About Court Report:  Each week we will report briefly on recently filed biotech and pharma cases.

Horizon Pharma Inc. et al. v. Par Pharmaceutical Companies Inc. et al.
1:12-cv-00393; filed March 28, 2012 in the District Court of Delaware

• Plaintiffs:  Horizon Pharma Inc.; Horizon Pharma USA Inc.
• Defendants:  Par Pharmaceutical Companies Inc.; Par Pharmaceutical Inc.

Infringement of U.S. Patent No. 8,067,033 ("Stable Compositions of Famotidine and Ibuprofen," issued November 29, 2011) following a Paragraph IV certification as part of Par's filing of an ANDA to manufacture a generic version of Horizon's Duexis ® (famotidine and ibuprofen, used for the relief of signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis and to decrease the risk of developing upper gastrointestinal ulcers).  View the complaint here.

Precision BioSciences, Inc. v. Cellectis SA et al.
5:12-cv-00160; filed March 27, 2012 in the Eastern District of North Carolina

• Plaintiff:  Precision BioSciences, Inc.
• Defendants:  Cellectis SA; Cellectis bioresearch; Cellectis bioresearch Inc.

Infringement of U.S. Patent No. 8,143,015 ("Methods of Cleaving DNA with Rationally-Designed Meganucleases," issued March 27, 2012) based on Cellectis' manufacture, use, and sale of meganucleases targeting the HPRT gene in Chinese Hamster Ovary cells, meganucleases targeting the GS gene in Chinese Hamster Ovary cells, meganuncleases targeting the human RAG1 gene, and meganucleases targeting the HIV1 genome.  View the complaint here.

Precision BioSciences, Inc. v. Cellectis SA et al.
5:12-cv-00161; filed March 27, 2012 in the Eastern District of North Carolina

• Plaintiff:  Precision BioSciences, Inc.
• Defendants:  Cellectis SA; Cellectis bioresearch; Cellectis bioresearch Inc.

Infringement of U.S. Patent No. 8,143,016 ("Methods of Cleaving DNA with Rationally-Designed Meganucleases," issued March 27, 2012) based on Cellectis' manufacture, use, and sale of meganucleases targeting the HPRT gene in Chinese Hamster Ovary cells, meganucleases targeting the GS gene in Chinese Hamster Ovary cells, and meganucleases targeting the HIV1 genome.  View the complaint here.

Allergan, Inc. v. Watson Laboratories, Inc. et al.
6:12-cv-00197; filed March 23, 2012 in the Eastern District of Texas

• Plaintiff:  Allergan, Inc.
• Defendants:  Watson Laboratories, Inc.; Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Watson Pharma, Inc.

Infringement of U.S. Patent Nos. 7,851,504 ("Enhanced Bimatoprost Ophthalmic Solution," issued December 14, 2010) and 5,688,819 ("Cyclopentane Heptanoic Acid, 2-Cycloalkyl or Arylalkyl Derivatives as Therapeutic Agents," issued November 18, 1997) following a Paragraph IV certification as part of Watson's filing of an ANDA to manufacture a generic version of Allergan's Lumigan® (0.01% bimatoprost ophthalmic solution, used to treat lower intraocular eye pressure in people with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension).  View the complaint here.

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. et al. v. Actavis Elizabeth LLC et al.
2:12-cv-01798; filed March 22, 2012 in the District Court of New Jersey

• Plaintiffs:  Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp.; Novartis Corp.; Novartis AG; Novartis Pharma AG
• Defendants:  Actavis Elizabeth LLC; Actavis, Inc.; Actavis Group PTC EHF; Actavis Group HF

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation et al. v. Actavis Group hf et al.
1:12-cv-00366; filed March 21, 2012 in the District Court of Delaware

• Plaintiffs:  Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp.; Novartis Corp.; Novartis AG; Novartis Pharma AG
• Defendants:  Actavis Group hf; Actavis Group PTC ehf; Actavis Inc.; Actavis Elizabeth LLC

The complaints in these cases are substantially identical.  Infringement of U.S. Patent Nos. 6,465,504 ("Substituted 3,5-Diphenyl-1,2,4-Triazoles and Their Use as Pharmaceutical Metal Chelators," issued October 15, 2002) and 6,596,750 (same title, issued July 22, 2003) following a Paragraph IV certification as part of Actavis' filing of an ANDA to manufacture a generic version of Novartis' Exjade® (deferasirox, used for the treatment of chronic iron overload due to blood transfusions).  View the Delaware complaint here.

Cubist Pharmaceuticals Inc. v. Hospira Inc.
1:12-cv-00367; filed March 21, 2012 in the District Court of Delaware

Infringement of U.S. Patent Nos. 6,468,967 ("Methods for Administration of Antibiotics," issued October 22, 2002), 6,852,689 (same title, issued February 8, 2009), RE39,071 ("Anhydro-and Isomer-A-21978C Cyclic Peptides, issued April 18, 2006), and 8,058,238 ("High Purity Lipopeptides," issued November 15, 2011) following a Paragraph IV certification as part of Hospira's filing of an ANDA to manufacture a generic version of Cubist's Cubicin® (daptomycin for injection, used for the treatment of skin infections caused by certain Gram-positive microorganisms).  View the complaint here.