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Provides information on antitrust litigation. Details of the case F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd. v. Empagram SA; Threats posed by the globalization of antitrust; Criticism on U.S.-style civil antitrust litigation.

The article discusses how MedImmune, the maker of monoclonal antibodies, sued biotechnology company, Genentech, the City of Hope National Medical Center, and the British company Celltech for antitrust charges. The case involves a patent that one litigant calls the "fundamental technology" needed for the artificial synthesis of antibodies. The suit claims that Genentech and Celltech colluded illegally to extend a monopoly over monoclonal antibody technology for more than a decade beyond a patent's 2006 expiration date. The wrangling began after Celltech received a very broad patent in 1989 for making monoclonal antibodies. Genentech then initiated a proceeding at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, claiming that it had invented the technology first and thus should retain patent rights. The PTO held for Celltech. Subsequently, the two companies entered into a confidential settlement that resulted in a federal district court ordering on March 16, 2001, that the PTO should revoke Celltech's patent, slated for expiration in 2006, and issue a new one to Genentech, with an expiration of 2018. The effect of issuing a new patent to Genentech essentially results in a patent term of 29 years--from 1989 to 2018--allowing Genentech to reap unreasonable gains from licensing fees during the patent extension, in Medlmmune's view.

This article presents information about the antitrust law in the United State. It is notable that the American antitrust law has outdone the Courts of Chancery that shocked nineteenth century reformers. Now that rows of laboring back-office copyists have given way to good-looking copying machines, the documents in a single case can number millions instead of thousands. With the introduction of the antitrust law, each industry could expect to have its own perpetual lawsuit, serving as a sort of unlegislated regulatory agency to determine the industry's business practices.

This article reports on the lawsuit filed by a customer against Apple Inc. precisely over the tying of its iTunes Store to the iPod digital music player. Melanie Tucker filed the suit, alleging that Apple violates antitrust laws by refusing to allow music bought on the iTunes Store to be played on any digital music player other than an iPod. Tucker seeks class-action status and the suit also charges Apple with not making it clear to customers that music from the iTunes Store and the iPod are incompatible with music and devices offered by other companies.

The article presents news briefs related to business around the world. The European Commission's competition regulator warned Microsoft that it had until May 31, 2005, to comply with last year's antitrust ruling or face possible fines of $5 million a day. Among other things, the commission wants Microsoft to share software protocols with other companies to enable them to tailor products that work within Windows. Vodafone Group, the world's largest mobile-telephone operator with nearly 155 million customers, reported a net loss of £7.54 billion for the year ending March 31st. Britain's home secretary, Charles Clarke, approved the extradition to the United States of three former NatWest investment bankers indicted by a federal court in Texas for Enron-related "wire fraud". The European Union took its turn to pressure China over the surge in textile imports from the country. China tried to reassure America and the European Union that it was tackling the issue by slapping export tariffs on a wide range of textiles, but it will drop the initiative if formal limits are imposed.

The article focuses on compensation claims in antitrust litigation in Great Britain. Topics include the public use of fines as indirect compensation for antitrust violations, the ban on contingency fees for attorneys in antitrust litigation, and pre-judgment interest. Information is provided on success fees and issues of double jeopardy.