On June 1, a four-year dispute over a European patent for anti-CD20 drugs to treat rheumatoid arthritis came to an end, with Seattle-based Trubion winning the dispute. This result frees up the space for anyone with a CD20 program, says Jeff Pepe, associate general counsel at Trubion. Multiple oppositions had been filed against the patent (European Patent 1176981) held jointly by Genentech of S. San Francisco, California, and Biogen Idec of Cambridge, Massachusetts. Trubion was joined by MedImmune, GenMab, Centocor, the Glaxo Group and Merck Serono, all pursuing anti-CD-20 programs at one time. In 2008, the Opposition Division of the European Patent Office ruled that, as filed, the patent did not meet the necessary requirements, favoring Trubion. Genentech and Biogen appealed in 2009. Finally, at an oral hearing this June, the original ruling was upheld, and no further appeals will be allowed. Ironically, around the time of the hearing, New York–based Pfizer, which acquired Trubion's CD20 programs when it bought Wyeth in 2009, announced they would drop Trubion's lead anti-CD20 compound (TRU-015) though retaining the biotech's second generation anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody also in rheumatoid arthritis. For Genentech/Roche “the decision does not impact our expectations with respect to protection against Rituxan [rituximab, anti-CD20 chimeric monoclonal antibody],” says company spokesperson Rubin Snyder.