Managing IP is part of the Delinian Group, Delinian Limited, 4 Bouverie Street, London, EC4Y 8AX, Registered in England & Wales, Company number 00954730
Copyright © Delinian Limited and its affiliated companies 2023

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

Greece: PI awarded despite negative validity judgment from EPO

The Athens Single Member Court of First Instance recently granted a preliminary injunction based on a patent despite the fact that the Opposition Division of the EPO, a few days before the preliminary injunction hearing, had revoked the same patent.

The case concerned a preliminary injunction filed on behalf of an originator pharmaceutical company based on a patent covering a novel dosage regimen of a transdermal patch containing rivastigmine used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The defendant, a company seeking to market a generic copy of said rivastigmine patch, in its defence argued that the patent was invalid and that it had been revoked by the EPO and could therefore not provide protection. Furthermore, the defendant argued that the patent's claim was not to a dosage regimen of a transdermal patch but rather to the transdermal patch per se and that the generic product had different structural features and hence was not infringing. Furthermore, the generic company argued there was no urgency and that it was in the health funds' interest that a generic product be allowed to be launched in the market.

The Court, after assessing the nullity grounds raised by the defendant, was not convinced. Furthermore, the fact that the EPO Opposition Division had recently revoked the patent did not stop the judge from granting the PI requested, as the patentee had filed an appeal, which under Article 106(1) EPC has a suspensive effect. The judge found that the patent was directed to a dosage regimen and the structural differences of the two patches were not relevant on infringement, given that the generic patch fell under the protected dosage regimen. Furthermore the judge acknowledged that the patentee had spent considerable time and resources in R&D to arrive to the protected invention and that it would suffer significant financial damage if the generic product was allowed to be launched in the market.

This decision is an important one since it is not often that a Greek court will decide to accept the prima facie validity of a European patent despite the fact that the EPO Opposition Division has revoked said patent and proceed to apply a balance of the parties' interests, deciding in favour of the patentee.

kilimiris.jpg

Constantinos Kilimiris


Patrinos & Kilimiris7, Hatziyianni Mexi Str.GR-11528 AthensGreeceTel: +30210 7222906, 7222050Fax: +30210 7222889info@patrinoskilimiris.comwww.patrinoskilimiris.com

more from across site and ros bottom lb

More from across our site

Civil society and industry representatives met in Geneva on Thursday, September 28 to discuss a potential expansion of the TRIPS waiver
Sources say the beta version of the USPTO’s new trademark search tool is a big improvement over the current system but that it isn’t perfect
Canadian counsel weigh in on the IP office’s decision to raise trademark filing fees in 2024 and how they’re preparing clients
We provide a rundown of Managing IP’s news and analysis coverage from the week, and review what’s been happening elsewhere in IP
Shira Perlmutter, US Register of Copyrights, discussed the Copyright Office's role in forming generative AI policy during a House of Representatives hearing
The award marks one of the highest-ever damages received by a foreign company in a trademark infringement suit in China
Two orders denying public access to documents have reignited a debate over a lack of transparency at the new court
Rouse’s new chief of operations and the firm’s CEO tell Managing IP why they think private equity backing will help it conquer Europe
Brian Landry, partner at Saul Ewing, reveals how applicants can prosecute patent applications in the wake of the Federal Circuit's In re Cellect ruling
Ronelle Geldenhuys of Australia’s Foundry IP considers the implications complex computer technologies such as AI have on decision-making