Benitec and Ambion settle patent dispute

Australian biotech company Benitec has settled its US-based patent infringement case against Ambion.

As part of the settlement, it has issued to Ambion a world-wide nonexclusive license to make and sell DNA-directed RNAi (ddRNAi) based products. Financial details of the settlement and license have not been disclosed.

'We are delighted that Ambion, an innovative leader in RNAi-based products, has settled the litigation and taken a products license from us,' said John McKinley, chairman and ceo of Benitec. 'We will continue to protect our issued RNAi patent estate whilet enabling the widest usage of this important technology for both research and commercial therapeutic purposes.'

Benitec, whose lead therapeutic programme is for Hepatitis C, was the first company to trigger RNAi in human and mammalian cells and in whole mammals. It expects to grant further ddRNAi licenses.