Vertex, Sanofi S.A. deal

VRTX purchased from Sanofi all rights to a portfolio of patents and patent applications relating to interleukin-1 beta converting enzyme (ICE) and ICE inhibitors. VRTX will pay a single fee, and make no additional payments.

The patent portfolio originally was assigned to Sterling Winthrop Inc. (New York, N.Y.), which Sanofi acquired in 1994. Issued U.S. Patents included in the portfolio are Nos. 5,585,486; 5,585,357; 5,565,430; 5,552,400; 5,462,939, and 5,416,013, which cover the ICE protease and several classes of ICE protease inhibitors. ...