Affymax loses in Hematide arbitration

BusinessWeek notes: Affymax said an arbitrator ruled that health care giant Johnson & Johnson is the sole owner of a patent related on erythropoietin receptor agonists. The decision could allow Johnson & Johnson to sue Affymax when it starts trying to sell Hematide, Affymax said.

The patent relates to a group of drugs that are used in treating anemia in patients who are on dialysis for kidney disease, or who are being treated for cancer.