In Philadelphia, US prosecutors filed a case against five people for stealing confidential files from GlaxoSmithKline. The case is centered on the conspiracy of pilfering trade secrets about cancer treatment and other diseases.
According to the New York Times, the two scientists namely Yu Xue, 45 years old and was considered one of the top biochemist in the world and Lucy Xi, 38 years old. Both have been working in the company's research facility in Upper Merion, Philadelphia. They allegedly downloaded about a dozen confidential files and gave it to their associates who are planning to sell these marketing strategies to a company in China called Renopharma.
As reported by Bloomberg, The Eastern District of Pennsylvania prosecutors said that Ms. Xue and two other accomplices, Tao Li and Yan Mei agreed to place the proceeds to Ms. Xues twin, Tian Xue so that they will be able to conceal their crime. The document that was downloaded was a monoclonal antibody, a type of treatment for cancer that Glaxo has been developing.
This antibody was designed to link to receptors known as HER3 receptors, this process will eventually eliminate or slow down the cancer cells. Researchers discovered that the antibodies would bind to target cells and help with the process called humanization. This process transforms the antibody to work well with humans says report from Reuters.
Investigators found out that there seems to be a power struggle among the defendants as they try to take full control of the Chinese company. One of the owners of Renopharma, Tao Li, was accused of raising funds for the company's resources earlier this month.
Yu Xue was fired from the company and left last November. Peter Zeidenberg, Yu's lawyer, said that her client had pleaded not guilty to the charges and is willing to battle it out in court.
