Settlement Conferences Continue -- In Delaware District Court -- Between Gilead and Merck/Idenix, On Sovaldi® Patent Spats

It would seem that the very capable Judge Christopher J. Burke, sitting in Delaware's federal District courthouse, would like to encourage the parties to settle the patent license royalty demands made by Merck, and echoed by Idenix, now that Merck owns Idenix.

You will recall that Merck has demanded a 10 per cent running royalty on all sales of Sovaldi^® (sofosbuvir), under a patent that Merck claims teaches how compounds like Sovaldi are metabolized from a pro-drug, in the human body -- into a therapeutic drug (in this case) to cure Hep C. [The question would seem to be whether what the human body does naturally, to the pro-drug, to metabolize it, can be considered (all by itself to be) an invention worthy of patent protection.] In any event, here's the minute order of mid last week:
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. . . .Judge Christopher J. Burke held a Settlement Teleconference on December 8, 2014. . . .

We will keep you informed, here on a nice quiet Sunday morning here -- fresh OJ, croissants and hot coffee. . . onward!