The Court adopted virtually all of the interpretations proposed by Roche Diagnostics and its co-parties relating to seven Enzo patents covered by the order. Judge Sprizzo's ruling followed a week long hearing in July 2005 and extensive legal briefs by the parties.
"This order will allow us to request a further ruling from the Court, declaring that Roche does not infringe on this patent," said Melinda Griffith, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Roche Molecular Diagnostics, a business unit of Roche Diagnostics. "We look forward to the successful conclusion of this litigation."
The litigation, first filed in 2002, concerns products and techniques for detecting genetic information in biological samples, such as blood.
Among its allegations, Enzo contends that Roche's AmpliChip CYP450 Test infringes Enzo's U.S. Patent No. 4,994,373. However, Judge Sprizzo's order rejected Enzo's interpretations of both the testing format and the "soluble signal" claimed by this patent, and instead agreed with interpretations by Roche Diagnostics and its co-parties.
About Roche and the Roche Diagnostics Division
Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is one of the world's leading research-focused healthcare groups in the fields of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. As a supplier of innovative products and services for the early detection, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, the Group contributes on a broad range of fronts to improving people's health and quality of life. Roche is a world leader in diagnostics, the leading supplier of medicines for cancer and transplantation and a market leader in virology. In 2005, sales by the Pharmaceuticals Division totaled 27.3 billion Swiss francs, and the Diagnostics Division posted sales of 8.2 billion Swiss francs. Roche employs roughly 70,000 people in 150 countries and has R&D agreements and strategic alliances with numerous partners, including majority ownership interests in Genentech and Chugai. Roche's Diagnostics Division offers a uniquely broad product portfolio and supplies a wide array of innovative testing products and services to researchers, physicians, patients, hospitals and laboratories world-wide. For further information, please visit our websites www.roche.com and www.roche-diagnostics.com
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Contact: Roche Molecular Diagnostics Rick Roose, 925-730-8415 email: rick.roose@roche.com
Source: Roche Diagnostics
