October Term 2022 · Docket 21-757
Does a patent claim covering all antibodies binding to a specific protein target require proof that every single one is easy to make?
Amgen argues its broad patent claim is valid because it provides a general roadmap. Sanofi argues the claim is invalid because it covers antibodies that are difficult to create.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official Court opinion was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Amgen's counsel stated that claiming a lot while enabling a little short-changes the public.
Amgen's counsel argued that Sanofi failed to identify any antibody requiring undue experimentation.
Sanofi's counsel noted that scientists do not use the patented method if an antibody already exists.
Justice Sotomayor questioned why Amgen had not made a specific antibody if the process was easy.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 25-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 25-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 39-43 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 39-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 47-1 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 47-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 108, lines 21-37 — Transcript, file page 108, lines 21-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 11-11 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 11-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 13-11 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 13-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 31-35 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 31-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-45 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 41-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 19-37 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 19-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 43-51 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 43-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 55-17 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 55-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 41-43 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 41-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 9-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 31-47 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 31-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 17-33 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 17-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 41-51 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 41-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 55-35 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 55-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 75, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 75, lines 45-49 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 45-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 17-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 77, lines 15-19 — Transcript, file page 77, lines 15-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 77, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 77, lines 9-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-49 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 35-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 88, lines 51-41 — Transcript, file page 88, lines 51-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 41-43 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 41-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 53-7 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 53-7
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case centers on the scope of a patent claim. Amgen holds a patent for antibodies that bind to a specific spot on the PCSK9 protein. Sanofi argues this claim is too broad. Amgen argues the claim is valid because it teaches a general method to find such antibodies.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 108, lines 21-37 — Transcript, file page 108, lines 21-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 13-11 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 13-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 19-37 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 19-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 88, lines 51-41 — Transcript, file page 88, lines 51-41
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 27, 2023.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 17-33 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 17-33
What each side wants
Amgen wants the court to uphold its broad patent claim as valid.
Sanofi wants the court to invalidate the patent claim as too broad.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 108, lines 21-37 — Transcript, file page 108, lines 21-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 13-11 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 13-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 19-37 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 19-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 88, lines 51-41 — Transcript, file page 88, lines 51-41
What each side says
Amgen argues the patent provides a sufficient roadmap for making the claimed antibodies.
Sanofi argues the claim covers antibodies that require undue experimentation to create.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 108, lines 21-37 — Transcript, file page 108, lines 21-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 13-11 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 13-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 19-37 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 19-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 88, lines 51-41 — Transcript, file page 88, lines 51-41
What the justices asked
Justice Thomas asked if the process only produces one specific antibody.
Justice Sotomayor asked what is unique about Amgen's process compared to finding antibodies generally.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 25-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 25-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 39-43 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 39-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 47-1 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 47-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 11-11 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 11-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 31-35 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 31-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-45 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 41-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 43-51 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 43-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 55-17 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 55-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 41-43 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 41-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 9-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 31-47 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 31-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 17-33 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 17-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 41-51 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 41-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 55-35 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 55-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 75, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 75, lines 45-49 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 45-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 17-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 77, lines 15-19 — Transcript, file page 77, lines 15-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 77, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 77, lines 9-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-49 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 35-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 41-43 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 41-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 53-7 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 53-7
Why it matters
This case defines the boundary between a valid patent claim and an overbroad one. It determines how much specific detail a patent must provide when claiming a large class of molecules. The outcome affects the balance between rewarding invention and keeping scientific knowledge accessible.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 108, lines 21-37 — Transcript, file page 108, lines 21-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 13-11 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 13-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 19-37 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 19-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 88, lines 51-41 — Transcript, file page 88, lines 51-41
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 25-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 25-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 39-43 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 39-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 47-1 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 47-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 11-11 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 11-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 31-35 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 31-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-45 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 41-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 43-51 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 43-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 55-17 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 55-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 41-43 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 41-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 9-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 31-47 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 31-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 17-33 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 17-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 41-51 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 41-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 55-35 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 55-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 75, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 75, lines 45-49 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 45-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 17-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 77, lines 15-19 — Transcript, file page 77, lines 15-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 77, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 77, lines 9-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-49 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 35-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 41-43 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 41-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 53-7 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 53-7
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Verified official opinions and orders
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 108, lines 21-37 — Transcript, file page 108, lines 21-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 13-11 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 13-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 19-37 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 19-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 88, lines 51-41 — Transcript, file page 88, lines 51-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 108, lines 21-37 — Transcript, file page 108, lines 21-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 13-11 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 13-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 19-37 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 19-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 88, lines 51-41 — Transcript, file page 88, lines 51-41
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Post Opinion ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Post Opinion ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.