The Advocate General of the CJEU proposed a narrow interpretation of Article    3(d) in the Opinion given yesterday in Abraxis Bioscience LLC v Comptroller General of Patents 13 December 2018, one that would marginalise the effect of the CJEU’s decision in Neurim (C-130/11). If followed by the CJEU, this position would be met with disappointment by … Read more

Key recent developments in the United Kingdom and Europe relating to patents and the pharmaceutical sector This issue reports on several ground-breaking decisions from the UK courts on second medical use patents and skinny labels, infringement by equivalents and the possibility of global FRAND licences for standard essential patents (SEPs).  We also look at some … Read more

Clarity and precision in a trade mark description are the winners in the Court of Appeal Cadbury’s attempt to argue its trade mark registration for the colour purple was actually a series mark which could be split and partially maintained was rejected yesterday by the Court of Appeal. Although another blow in Cadbury’s multi-decade, hard-fought … Read more

The Italian Government approved a draft Bill on 21 November 2018 aimed at adapting the Italian IP Code to the Unitary Patent Regulation (EU 1257/2012) and the Unified Patent Court (UPC) Agreement. The next step before the Bill is passed will be for the Italian Parliament to give its favourable opinion. The draft Bill will … Read more

Novartis Farma S.p.A. v Italian Medicines Agency and Roche Italia S.p.A. On 21 November 2018, the CJEU issued an important decision in Novartis Farma v Italian Medicines Agency and Roche Italia et al. (C-29/17). The case was referred to the CJEU by the Italian Council of State and regarded an Italian law that allows the … Read more

A French Court has upheld the validity of a Supplementary Protection Certificate (“SPC“) protecting the ezetimibe+simvastatin combination under Article 3(a) of the SPC Regulation. Merck Sharp & Dohme (“MSD“) is the owner of a basic patent covering the compound ezetimibe. The basic patent also covers ezetimibe’s combinations with statin compounds, such as simvastatin, in its … Read more

As was widely reported yesterday evening, the Draft Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community (the Draft Withdrawal Agreement (14 November 2018)), detailing the arrangements for the UK to leave the EU has now been agreed by the UK Cabinet. … Read more

Commercial impact Yesterday’s Supreme Court decision in Warner-Lambert v Mylan is disappointing news for patentees who may have made significant investment in R&D to develop new uses for known medicines. The full judgment and press release can be found here. The Supreme Court recognised the value of such second (and further) medical uses and the … Read more