Abbott Laboratories says it owns the patent...

Abbott Laboratories says it owns the patent rights to a highly publicized heart-attack drug that is being marketed by Genentech Inc. as Activase. The genetically engineered drug, known generically as tissue plasminogen activator, or TPA, is said to prevent heart failure by dissolving blood clots in the coronary arteries of people having heart attacks. Abbott made its disclosure in response to a March 11 lawsuit filed by Genentech in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, which seeks to have Abbott’s patents declared invalid or not infringed on by Genentech. Genentech downplayed the dispute but conceded it has not been issued any patents for TPA despite several pending applications. Abbott said it had filed for patents for TPA in 1980. Mark Barmark, an attorney for Abbott, said the firm would seek either an injunction to prevent Genentech from marketing the drug or some sort of damages.