Halozyme wins court order to block Merck's injected Keytruda in select European markets
HALO•A Dutch patent court ordered Merck to halt the manufacture and sale of injectable Keytruda in eight European markets after finding that it infringed a Halozyme patent. Merck said it disagrees with the ruling and is evaluating next steps.
1. Dutch court orders halt
A Dutch patent court in The Hague ruled in Halozyme’s favor, finding that Merck infringed a patent covering Halozyme’s MDASE technology for under-the-skin drug delivery. The court ordered Merck to stop producing and selling injectable Keytruda in Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland and the Netherlands.
2. Merck disputes the ruling
Merck said it strongly disagrees with the cross-border injunction, considers Halozyme’s patent invalid globally and believes the infringement allegation is without merit. The company said it is evaluating next steps.
3. Other patent cases
Merck has been counting on Keytruda SC, the under-the-skin version of the drug, to help drive growth as patents on the original intravenous version expire later in the decade. Halozyme has also sued Merck in the United States, alleging infringement of 15 patents, and obtained a preliminary injunction in Germany last year that stopped the product’s launch there.
