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Biotech / Medical : Merck -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Mephisto who wrote (1287)	10/4/1999 10:02:00 PM
From: SIer formerly known as Joe B.	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1580

October 4, 1999 Dow Jones Newswires Merck: Entitled To Exclusive Patent Rights For Vioxx WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. -- Merck & Co. (MRK) said it's entitled to exclusive patent rights covering Vioxx and structurally related compounds under a recent U.S. Patent and Trademark Office interference decision. In a press release Monday, Merck said the decision specifically held that Merck scientists were the first inventors of Vioxx, and that Merck's competitor Searle, the pharmaceutical division of Monsanto Co. (MTC), is not entitled to a patent for the class of compounds covering Vioxx. A Searle spokeswoman said the company is disappointed in the outcome, but couldn't comment on specifics because Searle is reviewing the opinion. She said Searle will likely pursue the case further. Vioxx, a Cox-2 inhibitor, treats pain and inflammation associated with arthritis. Monsanto's Celebrex is a similar drug. -Jennifer Rossa; Dow Jones Newswires; 201-938-5400