LILLY <LLY> TO PAY ROCHE ROYALTIES ON HUMATROPE
Hoffman-LaRoche Inc said Eli Lilly and
Co Inc will pay it royalties on the sale of Lilly's human
growth hormone, Humatrope, as part of an earlier-reported
licensing agreement between the companies.
    Hoffman-La Roche spokesman John Doorley declined to
disclose the amount of the royalty payments.
    "Lilly has taken the position of respecting our patent by
paying us roylaties," said Doorley. "We are hopeful that other
companies will respect that position," he said.
    Roche is the licensee of a Hormone Research Foundation
patent for a synthetic version of human growth hormone.
   
    Last September, Roche and the Foundation sued Genetech Inc
<GENE> alleging Genetech's product, Protropin, a human growth
hormone, infringed on Hoffman's patent for the hormone.
    Last year Genetech's sales of Protropin were about 35 mln
dlrs. David Saks, drug analyst with Morgan Olmstead, Kennedy
and Gardner in New York, said Genetech's and Lilly's product
can each bring in about 50 mln dlrs in sales annually.
    Other companies developing human growth hormone include
Biotechnology General Corp. Roche's Doorley said the company
had at one time started developing a growth hormone but decided
to put its efforts into other products.
 Reuter
