As we previously reported, Genentech and JHL Biotech reached a settlement agreement resolving the parties’ lawsuit regarding JHL’s alleged misappropriation of trade secrets relating to Genentech’s Rituxan® (rituximab), Herceptin® (trastuzumab), Avastin® (bevacizumab), and Pulmozyme® (dornase alfa) products. However, the case continued against the four former Genentech employees as individual defendants, although it was stayed pending the resolution of a criminal case against the former employees. One employee was dismissed from the criminal case after he pleaded guilty to computer fraud and was sentenced to 9 months probation and a $2,025 fine.
This June, the criminal trial was continued from September 14, 2020 until March 8, 2021. In response to this postponement, Genentech and the defendant employees agreed to amend the trade secret case schedule, with a jury trial now scheduled for January 31, 2022.