Medicines Co. cardiovascular news

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) granted a one-year interim extension for a patent covering anticoagulant Angiomax bivalirudin from The Medicines Co. The decision follows a ruling earlier in the week by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia ordering the PTO to consider the company's application for an extension as timely filed.

The PTO denied the application in March, claiming the company had missed the 60-day filing window by two days. In his decision, Judge Claude Hilton said PTO interpreted the Hatch-Waxman Act in a manner that deprives an applicant of the full 60 days to submit an extension application (see BioCentury, March 29). ...