University awarded historic drug patent

The cox-2 inhibitors were developed after researchers at the University discovered the gene in humans that is responsible for producing an enzyme called cox-2 and revealed the enzyme's role in causing inflammation within individual cells. The discovery, made more than a decade ago, set in motion a worldwide race among pharmaceutical companies to identify drugs that would inhibit the action of the enzyme and, in turn, reduce inflammation and pain. The University research team was led by Donald Young, a physician and biochemist who for more than three decades has studied the mechanisms by which steroids reduce inflammation and produce other effects in cells.

The new class of drugs, which includes the blockbuster arthritis medication Celebrex, have become top-sellers since they were introduced last year. Doctors prescribed Celebrex to 6.4 million patients in 1999, pushing its first-year sales to $1.5 billion. Last year Celebrex eclipsed the anti-impotence medication Viagra as the fastest-selling new drug in history.

The patent awarded last week entitles Rochester to royalties on the sale of all cox-2 inhibitors.

"This patent recognizes the contributions of Dr. Young, an outstanding scientist who has devoted his career to understanding a problem that afflicts tens of millions of people," said Jay Stein, senior vice president for health affairs and chief executive officer of the Medical Center.

Shortly after the patent was awarded, attorneys representing the University filed an infringement suit in federal court against Searle and Pfizer, the pharmaceutical companies that jointly market Celebrex.

"We've filed a lawsuit against Searle and Pfizer to ensure that our legal rights are preserved, though we intend to begin discussions with both companies in an effort to negotiate licensing agreements," said attorney Terrance O'Grady.

Over the 17-year life of the patent, royalty payments could yield billions of dollars, making it the most lucrative pharmaceutical patent in history.

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