Intellectual Property Law

Seattle Biotech Companies Fight Over Allegedly Similar Names

By Michael Atkins

Plaintiff’s and defendant’s logos

Plaintiff Mirina Corp. is a Seattle-based biotech firm.

Defendant Marina Biotech is a Bothell, Wash.-based biotech firm.

According to plaintiff’s complaint, both companies promote RNA-based therapeutic research and drug development services.

The complaint alleges that on July 22, defendant’s predecessor changed its company’s name to Marina Biotech. It states that plaintiff warned defendant that the name change would create a conflict with Mirina’s name, which plaintiff claims it started to use in August 2008.

The complaint says the dominant part of both names sounds the same and defendant’s use is likely to cause confusion with plaintiff’s use.

The case cite is Mirina Corp. v. Marina Biotech, No. 10-01322 (W.D. Wash.).

Full post as published by Seattle Trademark Lawyer on August 23, 2010 (boomark / email).