The deal with Sandoz – financial terms of which were not disclosed – covers patents US 8,541,199 B2 and EP 1,610,766 B1 which describe enzymatic technologies used to manufacture semi-synthetic penicillins and semi-synthetic cephalosporins. According to DSM Sinochem, the solvent-free production method has a much smaller carbon footprint than current manufacturing techniques.
Under the agreement Novartis-owned Sandoz has the right to develop and commercialize beta lactams and to produce enzymes used for the manufacture of amoxicillin.
A spokesman for the Novartis unit told us "we believe enzymatic manufacturing of amoxicillin is the most advanced technology with regard to chemical operations and required resources."
He added that: "This licensing deal offers us the necessary freedom to operate and to adapt processes as required” going on to say that “we will decide in due course if and when to introduce the enzymatic process in our own operations."
This was reiterated by a DSM Sinochem spokesman, who told us "the patent gives Sandoz the right to use DSP’s sustainable, enzymatic production technology to make amoxicillin and sell anywhere in the world."
Lawsuit
In related news, DSM Sinochem Pharmaceuticals has accused Sinopharm Weiqida Pharmaceutical of infringing upon one of the patents licensed to Sandoz.
In the lawsuit, filed in the District Court of The Hague, Afdeling Handel, Netherlands – DSM Sinochem argues that Datong, China-based Weiqida has infringed on European Patent Number 1,610,766 B1 relating to amoxicillin trihydrate.
A second lawsuit, filed in High Court of Delhi at New Delhi, India, accuses Weiqida of infringing on Indian Patent Number 247,301, which covers an enzymatic process for the production of amoxicillin trihydrate
DSM Sinochem said is seeking an “injunction to prevent the infringing manufacture, use, importation and sale of Weiqida’s amoxicillin active pharmaceutical ingredient in the Netherlands and India as well as any drug product that utilizes the active pharmaceutical ingredient.”
Weiqida did not respond to a request for comment.