Genentech, UC Face Deadline in Patent Trial

Genentech Inc. and the University of California have until today to suggest ways for a federal judge to proceed with the next phase of their patent dispute. A San Francisco jury earlier this month deadlocked on the issue of whether Genentech, the world’s No. 2 biotechnology company, had infringed a UC patent to make the human growth hormone drug Protropin. U.S. District Judge Charles Legge must decide if the trial will proceed to a second phase on the issue of whether the university fraudulently obtained its patent. Attorneys for UC’s Board of Regents want the infringement claims against South San Francisco-based Genentech resolved by a second jury, which will also hear patent-infringement claims against Genentech over its Nutropin human growth hormone drug. Genentech is majority-owned by Switzerland’s Roche Holding.