Synergy Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a developer of drugs to treat gastrointestinal disorders and diseases, announced that it has filed a lawsuit in New York State Supreme Court against Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and its Chief Scientific Officer and Senior VP of R&D, Dr. Mark G. Currie. 

The lawsuit alleges that after European patent 1,379,224 was granted to Synergy but prior to issuance, Ironwood and Dr. Currie opposed the patent before the European Patent Office and presented to the European Patent Office and the United States Patent and Trademark Office, data and arguments that were false, contradictory, inaccurate and misleading.  In its complaint, Synergy accuses Ironwood and Dr. Currie of, among other things, unfair competition, fraud, and unjust enrichment and seeks $500 million in actual and punitive damages.

Date: December 12, 2011
Source: Synergy Pharmaceuticals, Inc.