With $1.2 billion on the line and a freshman course in chemistry under his belt, a juror on Wednesday derailed a two-month patent trial over pioneering DNA research.
After six days of deliberations, the jury said it was hopelessly deadlocked at 8-1 in favor of the University of California, which had sued Genentech Inc. for infringing a lucrative human growth hormone patent with widespread medical applications. Unlike state civil trials, where a 9-3 jury verdict carries the day, federal courts require unanimous verdicts — unless the parties agree otherwise.
