Halozyme wins court order to block Merck's injected Keytruda in select European markets

Halozyme Blocks Merck's Injectable Keytruda in 8 European Markets After Patent Ruling

Patent Dispute and Market Impact

Oct 7 (Reuters) - Biopharma company Halozyme said on Wednesday that a Dutch patent court ruled in its favor against Merck, ordering the drugmaker to halt the manufacture and sale of injectable Keytruda in eight European markets.

Details of the Dutch Court Ruling

Here are some details:

Patent Infringement Findings

• Halozyme said a specialized Dutch patent court in The Hague found that Merck had infringed one of its patents covering MDASE, Halozyme's technology for rapid, high-volume under-the-skin drug delivery.

Markets Affected by the Injunction

• The court ordered Merck to stop the production and sale of injectable Keytruda in Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

Keytruda SC and Growth Strategy

• The drugmaker has been counting on the simpler-to-use subcutaneous version of the drug, known as Keytruda SC, to help drive growth as key patents on its original intravenous version expire later in the decade.

Merck's Response and Next Steps

Merck's Statement

• "We strongly disagree with the Dutch court's decision to grant a cross-border injunction. We consider Halozyme's patent to be invalid globally and its allegation of infringement to be without merit," a Merck spokesperson said in a statement.

Future Actions

• The company said it is evaluating next steps.

Additional Legal Proceedings

U.S. Patent Lawsuit

• Halozyme has also sued Merck for patent infringement in the US, alleging the under-the-skin formulation of Keytruda infringes 15 patents that Halozyme has filed since 2011.

German Injunction

• The company sued Merck in Germany and was granted a preliminary injunction last year, stopping Merck's launch of Keytruda SC in Germany.

Reporting Credits

(Reporting by Christy Santhosh in Bengaluru; Editing by Shreya Biswas)