Jury deadlocks in lawsuit over alleged stolen DNA
1999 Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO (June 2, 1999 7:34 p.m. EDT http://www.nandotimes.com) - A federal court jury deadlocked Wednesday in a lawsuit by the University of California accusing Genentech Corp. of violating a university patent to develop the company's lucrative human growth hormone.
Jurors voted 8-1 in the university's favor, but were unable to resolve the impasse during six days of deliberations, two jurors told reporters.
The jury resolved another issue in the university's favor, rejecting Genentech's claim the 1982 patent was invalid. That verdict will be binding in a retrial of the infringement issue, said U.S. District Judge Charles Legge.
The university accused Genentech, a leading biotechnology firm, of using stolen DNA covered by a UC patent to develop the top-selling hormone Protropin.
Genentech denied that genetic material taken from a UC San Francisco lab in 1978 was used to develop the treatment.
The suit sought $400 million in damages, which could have been tripled for willful patent infringement.
Gina "Nanogirl" Miller
Nanotechnology Industries
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