Two former Pfizer employees accused by the pharmaceutical giant of stealing trade secrets have filed a cross-claim in which they seek a declaration that they own the patent rights to a first-in-class oral medication to treat obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

The defendants, Min Zhong and Xiayang Qiu, worked at Pfizer’s facility in Groton and resigned in June 2018 after forming their own company, Regor Therapeutics. Pfizer filed a lawsuit against them on Feb. 2.