Abbott Laboratories has sued ImClone Systems, claiming the latter's drug Erbitux infringes one of its patents.
Erbitux, a colon cancer treatment, uses Abbott's patented method for creating antibodies, the drug maker said to a federal court in Boston. Erbitux is ImClone's only marketed product, and it generated $652.2 million in the United States last year.
Following the announcement, Abbott shares fell 19 cents to $52.31 in NYSE composite trading, and ImClone shares fell 13 cents to $29.35 on the Nasdaq.
ImClone has not returned calls.
