On March 13, 2018, the Company filed a Petition for Post-Grant Review (“PGR”) of the ʼ961 patent with the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (“PTAB”). The PGR argues that the ʼ961 patent is invalid for lack of a written description, for lack of enablement, for indefiniteness, and as being anticipated by prior art. The PTAB held oral argument on the proceedings on July 10, 2019 and was scheduled to issue a decision on the patentability of the ʼ961 patent by no later than October 4, 2019. On September 15, 2019, Purdue commenced a voluntary case under chapter 11 of title 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. On September 24, 2019, Purdue gave the PTAB notice of its bankruptcy filing and sought the imposition of an automatic stay of the PGR proceedings. On October 2, 2019, the PTAB extended the one-year period for issuing its decision by up to six months.
In October 2017, and in response to the filing of the Company’s Supplemental NDA (“sNDA”) seeking to update the drug abuse and dependence section of the Xtampza ER label, Purdue filed another suit asserting infringement of the ʼ933 and ʼ919 patent. The Company filed a motion to dismiss that action, and the Court granted its motion on January 16, 2018.
A claim construction hearing was held on June 1, 2017. On November 21, 2017, the Court issued its claim construction ruling, construing certain claims of the ʼ933, ʼ497, and ʼ717 patents. The Court issued an order on September 28, 2018 in which it granted in part a motion for summary judgment that the Company filed. Specifically, the Court ruled that the Xtampza ER formulation does not infringe the ʼ497 and ʼ717 patents. On September 18, 2019, Purdue gave the Court notice of its bankruptcy filing and sought the imposition of an automatic stay of the proceedings. On September 20, 2019, the matter was stayed pending further order of the Court.
On September 1, 2020, the Bankruptcy Court entered an Order Granting Motions for Relief from the Automatic Stay, lifting the automatic stays in both the District of Massachusetts and PTAB proceedings. The Company appealed the Bankruptcy Court’s Order, in part, and that appeal is stayed, on consent by Purdue, pending the outcome of the PTAB proceedings and any appeal thereto. On September 11, 2020, Purdue filed a motion to terminate the PTAB action on the basis that those proceedings had gone beyond the 18-month statutory period. The Company opposed Purdue’s motion. On June 28, 2021, the Company advised the PTAB that District Court litigation on the ‘961 patent had resumed but that District Court Judge Saylor had expressed interest in a decision of the PTAB and stated the Court did not want the PTAB to drop the PGR in favor of the District Court Litigation. On October 8, 2021, the PTAB advised the parties that the PGR panel expects to issue a paper in the PGR proceeding within one month.
On April 2, 2021, the Court granted Purdue’s Motion to Lift the Stay in the District of Massachusetts that was entered following Purdue’s Notice of Bankruptcy. On April 9, 2021, Purdue filed another follow-on lawsuit asserting infringement of U.S. Patent No. 10,407,434, which was late-listed in the Orange Book and therefore could not trigger any stay of FDA approval. The Company responded to Purdue’s complaint asserting the ’434 patent with a motion to dismiss. On May 21, 2021, and in response to the Company’s motion to dismiss, Purdue filed an amended complaint asserting the ’434 patent. The Company renewed its motion to dismiss on June 4, 2021, arguing: (i) Purdue cannot, as a matter of law, state a claim for infringement under § 271(e)(2)(A); (ii) Purdue cannot, as a matter of law, state a claim for product-by-process infringement under §271(g); and (iii) Purdue has not alleged facts sufficient to support any indirect infringement theory under §271(b) or (c). The Court held a hearing on the Company’s motion to dismiss on October 13, 2021, and the motion is pending before the Court.
Like the prior follow-on lawsuits, the ’434 patent litigation was consolidated into the lead case and a scheduling order was entered. On October 5, 2021, the Court held a claim construction hearing for the ʼ961 patent and the ʼ434 patent. The scheduling order set the fact discovery deadline on March 11, 2022, and an expert discovery deadline of May 17, 2022. The court has not set a deadline for dispositive motions or trial.
The remaining patents-in-suit in the lead consolidated action in the District of Massachusetts are the ʼ933, ʼ919, ʼ434, and ʼ961 patents. Purdue has made a demand for monetary relief, and requested a judgment of infringement, an adjustment of the effective date of FDA approval, and an injunction on the sale of the Company’s products accused of infringement. The Company has denied all claims and has requested a judgment that the remaining asserted patents are invalid and/or not infringed; the Company is also seeking a judgment that the case is exceptional and has requested an award of the Company’s attorneys’ fees for defending the case.
The Company plans to defend this case vigorously. At this stage, the Company is unable to evaluate the likelihood of an unfavorable outcome or estimate the amount or range of potential loss, if any.