Genmab To Vigorously Defend Against AbbVie's Trade Secret Misappropriation Claims

(RTTNews) - Genmab A/S (GMAB) announced that it will vigorously defend itself against allegations of trade secret misappropriation brought by AbbVie Inc. (ABBV).

AbbVie has filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington based in Seattle. The complaint names Genmab A/S, ProfoundBio US Co., ProfoundBio (Suzhou) Co., Ltd., and former employees of AbbVie as defendants. The allegations center on claims that the defendants misappropriated AbbVie's trade secrets involving the use of disaccharides to enhance the hydrophilicity of drug-linkers in antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). These claims are related to rinatabart sesutecan (Rina-S) and other ADC pipeline products developed by ProfoundBio, which was acquired by Genmab in May 2024.

AbbVie is seeking damages and broad injunctive reliefs. AbbVie's alleged trade secrets are related to the use of disaccharides to improve the hydrophilicity of drug-linkers in ADCs. AbbVie is not asserting or enforcing any patent rights against the defendants, and to Genmab's knowledge, AbbVie has not pursued any development of products incorporating their alleged trade secrets.