This was an invalidity action in relation to a patent for a formulation of methotrexate for the treatment of inflammatory diseases including rheumatoid arthritis. The patent was attacked for obviousness over certain prior art and separately over the common general knowledge alone, and also for insufficiency. The patent was held to be invalid over one of the pieces of pleaded prior art and also because it was insufficient.
Adrian Speck QC and Lindsay Lane acted for Accord (instructed by Taylor Wessing) and Charlotte May QC and Mark Chacksfield acted for medac (instructed by Bristows).