Sanofi Files U.S. Suit Against Merck on Patent Infringements

By Inti Landauro

PARIS--French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi SA (SAN.FR) Monday said it filed a lawsuit against Merck & Co.'s international unit for alleged patent infringements.

In the filing in the U.S. district court of Delaware, Sanofi said it claims that Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. violated as many as 10 patents held by the French company, including ones for its blockbuster diabetes treatment Lantus and its insulin delivery device soloSTAR.

Sanofi said it started the legal proceedings against Merck following the U.S. company's filing for new drugs applications with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.

Paris-based Sanofi is one of the world's biggest makers of diabetes drugs, though that part of the business is under pressure from increasingly cost-conscious heath-care systems. The company expects revenue from diabetes drugs to decline over the coming years as competition between insulin makers intensifies.

-Write to Inti Landauro at inti.landauro@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 19, 2016 01:53 ET (05:53 GMT)

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