Novartis Gene Therapies, Inc.

Novartis Gene Therapies, Inc., formerly known as AveXis until September 2020, is a biotechnology company dedicated to developing and commercializing gene therapies for rare and life-threatening neurological genetic diseases. Founded in 2012 in Dallas, Texas, the company's global headquarters are now located in Bannockburn, Illinois, with an EMEA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland. Novartis acquired AveXis in 2018 for $8.7 billion, making Novartis Gene Therapies a subsidiary of the Swiss pharmaceutical giant, Novartis. The company reports having between 1,001 and 5,000 employees and annual revenue of $1 billion and over.

Novartis Gene Therapies focuses on addressing the underlying genetic root cause of diseases through gene therapy. Their flagship product is Zolgensma (onasemnogene abeparvovec), the first and only gene therapy approved for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), which received regulatory approval in the US in 2019. Zolgensma is designed as a one-time intravenous infusion to replace the defective or missing SMN1 gene in patients with SMA. The company also has a pipeline of other AAV-based gene therapies for rare genetic diseases, including investigational treatments for Rett syndrome and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Based on the tracked case data, Novartis Gene Therapies, Inc. appears to be an active two-way litigant in patent matters, balancing both plaintiff and defendant roles. They have been involved in two tracked cases: one as a plaintiff before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board against Genzyme Corporation, and another as a defendant in the District Court for the District of Delaware, also with Genzyme Corporation as the opposing party. This suggests a direct patent dispute between two operating companies in the biotechnology sector rather than an assertion by a non-practicing entity.

A notable aspect of Novartis Gene Therapies' history is its acquisition by Novartis, which significantly expanded Novartis's presence in the gene therapy field. The development and commercialization of Zolgensma have been particularly prominent, becoming one of the most expensive drugs globally due to its one-time treatment nature for a devastating disease. The litigation with Genzyme Corporation indicates active intellectual property disputes surrounding the gene therapy technologies in which Novartis Gene Therapies operates.