Genmab to Vigorously Defend Alleged Claims of Trade Secret Misappropriation by AbbVie Inc.
Company Announcement
• AbbVie Inc. files complaint against Genmab in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington (Seattle)
• Genmab categorically refutes allegations and will vigorously defend the company
COPENHAGEN, Denmark; March 22, 2025 – Genmab A/S (Nasdaq: GMAB) announced today that
AbbVie Inc. (AbbVie) has filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington (Seattle) naming Genmab A/S; ProfoundBio US Co.; ProfoundBio (Suzhou) Co., Ltd.; and former AbbVie employees as defendants. AbbVie alleges that the defendants have misappropriated AbbVie’s alleged trade secrets relating to the use of disaccharides to improve the hydrophilicity of drug-linkers in antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) in connection with rinatabart sesutecan (Rina-S™) and other ADC pipeline products of ProfoundBio. Genmab acquired ProfoundBio 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.
Genmab categorically refutes these allegations and will vigorously defend the company against AbbVie’s claims.
Genmab notes that this is yet another lawsuit among multiple recent lawsuits filed by AbbVie against competitors alleging misappropriation of its trade secrets by former AbbVie employees.
Rina-S, to which this complaint relates, is a clinical-stage, FRa (folate receptor-alpha)-targeted, Topo1 ADC, in Phase 3 development for the treatment of ovarian cancer and other FRa-expressing solid tumors. Rina-S is comprised of a proprietary antibody to FRa, a proprietary linker that combines PEG (polyethylene glycol) with sorbitol, to achieve a differentiated hydrophilic protease cleavable linker that facilitates a homogenous drug to antibody-ratio (DAR) of 8 for the payload, exatecan, a second-generation topoisomerase I inhibitor.
Rina-S has the potential to address a broader patient population in ovarian cancer than is served by current standard of care, including AbbVie’s Elahere®, with the potential to cover the entire platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (PROC) population regardless of FRa expression, based on the data generated thus far. Based on the data from the ongoing clinical trials, Genmab intends to broaden the development plans for Rina-S within ovarian cancer and other FRa-expressing solid tumors.
Genmab is a company deeply rooted in science with a solid track record in the discovery, development and commercialization of differentiated antibody-based medicines, and will continue to focus on delivering value to patients through novel antibody-based medicines.
Other than pursuant to this company announcement, Genmab does not intend to comment or provide additional information regarding the ongoing litigation until a decision is rendered on the merits or other material order is issued in the litigation or the litigation is otherwise concluded.
While the lawsuit is pending, Genmab’s collaboration with AbbVie related to epcoritamab will continue unaffected. We remain fully committed to the epcoritamab broad clinical development program and our commercialization efforts.