Recent cases

Napp v Dr Reddy’s and Sandoz Ltd [2016] EWCA Civ 10531 November 2016James Abrahams QC and Henry Ward represented the Appellant, Napp, in this appeal concerning Napp’s patent for a transdermal patch for delivery of the analgesic drug buprenorphine. At first instance the judge had held that the patches produced by the Defendants, Dr Reddy’s and Sandoz, did not infringe Napp’s patent because they used patches with […]
Thoratec v Aachen Innovative Solutions [2016] EWHC 2637 (Pat)26 October 2016Daniel Alexander QC appeared for the Claimant, Thoratec, and James Mellor QC for the Defendant, AIS, in this action concerning AIS’s patents for a catheter device involving a magnetic ‘clutch’. Thoratec initially sought to invalidate both patents in their entirety and later sought a declaration of non-infringement by reference to a Product Description. Thoratec claimed […]
Sony v SSH [2016] EWHC 2584 (Pat)16 October 2016Andrew Lykiardopoulos QC and James Abrahams QC appeared for the Claimants and Part 20 Defendants in this action dealing with a patent for network communications. The patent in suit was owned by SSH, and related to the use of ‘keepalive’ packets of data when exchanging information between private and public networks through a Network Address […]
Warner Lambert v Generics Ltd, Actavis, Caduceus (Pregabalin) [2016] EWCA Civ 100613 October 2016The Court of Appeal has handed down Judgment on the Pregabalin matter. Richard Meade QC, Adrian Speck QC and Isabel Jamal were instructed by Powell Gilbert for Actavis.
Actavis v ICOS and Lilly [2016] EWHC 1955 (Pat)10 August 2016Members of chambers appeared in this patent action relating to tadalafil, a generic product for treating erectile dysfunction. Actavis, Actelion, Teva and Generics UK (Mylan) sought to “clear the way” in relation to two patents owned by ICOS Corp and of which Eli Lilly and Company were exclusive licencees. Birss J found that EP (UK) […]
Idenix v Gilead [2014] EWHC 3916 (Pat)19 July 2016Andrew Lykiardopoulos QC, Tom Moody-Stuart and William Duncan all acted for Gilead (together with Justin Turner QC) in these patent infringement proceedings brought by Idenix in respect of Gilead’s product “Sovaldi” . The trial was heard over three weeks before Arnold J in 2014, who dismissed Idenix’s claims of patent infringement and held in favour […]
Glaxo Wellcome UK Ltd (t/a Allen & Hansburys) v Sandoz Ltd (High Court) [2016] EWHC 1537 (Ch)28 June 2016This case concerns an ongoing and large scale action for Trade Mark infringement and passing off brought by Glaxo against Sandoz in relation to asthma inhalers. The UK action forms part of a series of international disputes concerning these pharmaceutical products. Glaxo owns a EUTM colour per se trade mark which is visually represented by […]
Hospira UK Ltd -v-Cubist Pharmaceuticals LLC [2016] EWHC 1285 (PAT)10 June 2016Richard Meade QC and Isabel Jamal represented Hospira against Cubist Pharmaceuticals in this three-patent validity trial. Hospira successfully invalidated all three patents on the basis of obviousness over various pieces of prior art. The patents concerned dosing regimens and methods of purification of a drug called daptomycin, which is used to treat gram positive infections […]
R (British American Tobacco UK Limited & Ors) v Secretary of State for Health19 May 2016In R (British American Tobacco UK Limited & Ors) v Secretary of State for Health, the High Court was asked to consider the lawfulness of the Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products Regulations 2015. Similar measures were adopted in Australia in 2011. The tobacco company claimants relied upon 15 grounds of challenge. The grounds included proportionality, […]
GlaxoSmithKline UK Limited-and-Wyeth Holdings LLC [2016] EWHC 1045 (CH)12 May 2016Michael Tappin QC and William Duncan appeared for the successful patentee in this claim for revocation by GSK and counterclaim for infringement by Wyeth. The patent related to meningitis B vaccines, identifying a valuable new vaccine candidate now known as factor H binding protein, that forms part of GSK’s Bexsero vaccine. The attacks against the […]