The University of Iowa filed a lawsuit this week against Amgen for allegedly using it patented biotechnology to make two best-selling drugs - Enbrel, which is marketed to treat rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis, and Vectibix, which is used to treat patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who have failed chemotherapy.

In its lawsuit, which was filed in US District Court in Iowa, the university accuses Amgen of infringing two patents that were filed in 1992 and 1995 by Mark Stinski, a microbial virology professor, who asigned them to the University of Iowa Research Foundation. Amgen is also accused of ignoring the university’s entreaties, according to the suit.

Enbrel sales for 2007, 2006 and 2005 were $3.2 billion, $2.9 billion and $2.6 billion, respectively, according to Amgen’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. And Vectibix sales for 2007 and 2006 were $170 million and $39 million, respectively. We await word from Amgen. An Amgen spokesman writes to say: “We don’t believe we violated the patent and we will defend against their allegations.” Here is the lawsuit.