Compiled by Mike Mason
Irvine-based Broadcom Corp. filed a patent infringement suit and an unfair trade practices complaint against San Diego chip designer Qualcomm Inc. Broadcom claims Qualcomm’s devices infringe 10 Broadcom patents related to wired and wireless communications and multimedia chip technologies. Broadcom also said it filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission, alleging that Qualcomm has engaged in unfair trade practices by importing integrated circuits and other products that infringe five Broadcom patents Irvine-based Gateway Inc. nabbed a $45 million computer pact with the University of Arizona. Under the five-year deal, the university and its students will receive discounts from the computer maker on notebook, tablet, desktop and server computers. Meanwhile, Gateway said founder Ted Waitt is retiring as chairman. Richard Snyder, a director and former Gateway president, is set to become chairman … Irvine video game maker Blizzard Entertainment Corp. said it completed buying Swingin’ Ape Studios Inc., an Aliso Viejo-based game company Blizzard hired nearly a year ago to help develop a highly anticipated game. Financial terms of the buy weren’t disclosed. Under the agreement, Blizzard plans to retain Swingin’ Ape’s team of more than 40 developers … Garden Grove’s DPAC Technologies Corp. said its forthcoming annual report includes a statement from its auditor about “going concern,” or its ability to keep the business going. The statement was sparked by operating losses, negative cash flow and a need for more capital. DPAC, which makes electronics for wireless networking, plans to combine with QuaTech Inc. of Ohio, pending shareholder approval … Greg Spierkel, Ingram Micro Inc.’s incoming chief executive, said the technology products distributor is seeing slower going in Europe, a trend that’s likely to persist for the near term … Irvine-based Autobytel Inc., which links car buyers to dealers online, said Nasdaq gave it more time to file past-due financial reports. The statements are needed in order for the company to maintain its trading spot on the Nasdaq National Market. Autobytel previously missed a May 15 deadline to file its 2004 annual report and two quarterly reports but now has until May 31 to get the reports filed, or else it faces delisting from the exchange.
HEALTHCARE
Spectrum Pharmaceuticals Inc., an Irvine-based drug maker, said that it acquired a license for a drug that treats brain cancer. Spectrum said it bought the rights for lucanthone from Dr. Robert Bases, who invented a way to treat central nervous system cancers through lucanthone and radiation. Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed … Canada’s largest drug maker, Apotex Inc., was given another chance in its bid to invalidate a patent held by Irvine-based Allergan Inc. for its anti-inflammatory eye drug Acular. The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., ruled last week that a lower court in San Francisco had made a “clear error” in concluding that Allergan’s Acular patent isn’t an obvious variation of earlier discoveries. The appeals court has ordered the lower court to re-examine the “obviousness” claim. Apotex wants to make a generic version of Acular.
REAL ESTATE
Santa Ana-based First American Corp. said it doubled its stock buyback plan to $200 million. The title insurer and data provider said it has bought $63.9 million worth of its shares in the past year under the buyback plan, which previously was set at $100 million.
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John Wayne Airport: passenger traffic up 6.3% in April |
GOVERNMENT
John Wayne Airport officials said 815,145 passengers used the airport in April, up 6.3% versus a year earlier. Total takeoffs and landings grew 1.4% to 31,545 in the period … Supervisors rebuffed Merrill Lynch & Co.’s bid to help the county refinance its debt. Supervisors said that Merrill, which paid nearly $440 million for its part in the county’s 1994 bankruptcy, won’t be among the 13 investment banks bidding on the debt restructuring … Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said he would oppose Indian tribes seeking to build casinos in urban areas, such as Garden Grove and Anaheim.
WHAT ELSE IS NEWS
Irvine-based American Sporting Goods Inc., an upscale athletic shoe and apparel maker, said it bought Paoli, Pa.-based And 1 for undisclosed terms. And 1 is a privately held basketball shoe maker with more than 80 NBA players that wear its gear under sponsorship deals … Louisville, Ky.-based Yum Brands Inc. said same-store sales at its Irvine-based Taco Bell Corp. chain grew 4% for the four weeks through May 14, versus a year earlier BSH Home Appliances Corp. is acquiring the distributor of its upscale home appliances in the Southwest. BSH, a Huntington Beach-based unit of Germany’s BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausger & #228;te GMBH, is taking over Freed Appliance Distributors of Texas. Terms weren’t disclosed. The deal is expected to close July 1.
ECONOMIC INDICATORS
Mixed: Orange County’s housing market, with the number of homes sold in April falling 0.7% to 4,547, versus a year earlier, but the median price rising 10.1% to $576,000, according to DataQuick Information Systems.
