LQDA Stock Eyes Worst Day Ever After Judge Upholds Two UTHR Patent Claims

Liquidia CEO Roger Jeffs said the company disagrees with the court’s decision and will “pursue all available appellate options.”

• U.S. District Judge Richard G. Andrews ruled that Yutrepia infringes two valid claims of UTHR’s patent, while the remaining claims of the ‘327 patent asserted against Liquidia were invalid.
• Possible court remedies, Liquidia warned, range from removing PH-ILD indication for Yutrepia to a broader curb on product availability.
• United Therapeutics has asked for an injunction that could restrict sales.

United Therapeutics (UTHR) shares jumped about 13% Wednesday, and Liquidia (LQDA) plunged as much as 57% after a Delaware judge found that Liquidia’s Yutrepia infringes two claims of a United Therapeutics patent on inhaled treatment of pulmonary hypertension associated with interstitial lung disease (PH-ILD).

U.S. District Judge Richard G. Andrews ruled that Yutrepia infringes two valid claims of UTHR’s patent, while the remaining claims asserted against Liquidia were invalid. Andrews ordered the parties to file a proposed final judgment within one week, including their requested remedies.

UTHR is now on track to clock its best session in a year, if gains hold. LQDA, meanwhile, is eyeing its worst day ever.

The LQDA, UTHR Drugs In The Fight

Both companies sell inhaled treprostinil for two rare lung conditions: pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and PH-ILD. United Therapeutics markets nebulized Tyvaso and Tyvaso DPI. Liquidia’s Yutrepia is a dry-powder rival that was FDA-approved in 2025 for both uses.

The patent at issue, U.S. Patent No. 11,826,327, covers a method of improving exercise capacity in PH-ILD patients with inhaled treprostinil.

What Happens Next?

CEO Roger Jeffs said Liquidia disagrees with the court’s decision on claims 1 and 14 and will “pursue all available appellate options.” The company said it will ask the FDA to drop PH-ILD from Yutrepia’s label.

Possible court remedies, Liquidia warned, range from removing that indication to a broader curb on product availability. United Therapeutics has asked for an injunction that could restrict sales. Liquidia said it cannot yet estimate financial exposure.

No injunction has been entered yet.

How Did UTHR, LQDA Retail Traders React?

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment around UTHR stock rose from bearish to bullish territory over the past 24 hours, while message volume rose from normal to high levels.

Meanwhile, sentiment around LQDA rose from bullish to extremely bullish, coupled with a rise in retail chatter to extremely high levels.

A Stocktwits user termed LQDA stock “uninvestable at the moment.”

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Another dismissed the LQDA selloff as an overreaction.

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While UTHR has gained 12% year-to-date, LQDA has dropped 11%. 

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