Patent Litigation in India Pravin Anand Anand And Anand MIP International Patent Forum 2011 April 5, 2011, London
Mar 31, 2015
Patent Litigation in India
Pravin AnandAnand And Anand
MIP International Patent Forum 2011April 5, 2011, London
The Challenges…
First, a weak Patent LawPre and post grant oppositions (Span case)Rigid deadlines (4)Section 3(d) - NovartisSection 8 - ChemturaWorking requirements , Compulsory licenceSection 39
The Challenges…
Second, Generics, Copyleft, open-source aggressive:
Parliamentary ForumsJudge trainingPress/BlogsNo counter measures by innovators
The Challenges…
Third, top ten filers are chemistry patentsWorld trend: top filers are IT companiesBeing an IT Power, ironic that Chemistry
leads Generics – very patent savvy..
The Changes…
2005 Patent AmendmentsCPC – Streamlining ProcessesSupreme Court – 4 month orders (20 in 2010)
Delhi High Court – 70% IP casesDocket Management
Old order – 5 to 10 yearsToday – possibly 6 months to one year
e Court
Remedies Revolution
Ex parte injunctions – before launch “status quo”Expedited trial preferredAnton Piller, Mareva InjunctionsJohn Doe OrdersDamages : Punitive / Exemplary (65 orders)
Time Inc vs. Lokesh Srivastava• Red Border contributed
to finding of dishonesty• Punitive/ exemplary
damages granted for the first time
Strategies
Design action before launch• Issues : Document : Witness analysis – cannot miss
the document window in fast track• Expert evidence of great value ( average – 2
witnesses per side, 6 hours cross, 150 ques)
• Emphasis on original documents• Section 65 – Secondary evidence• Section 65 B – Internet downloads
StrategiesInvalidation before IPABor counter claim before High Court• IPAB slow• High Court Fast• May avoid cease & desist notice
Amendments allowed - infringement actionor after invalidation
Strategies
Judges Rely on foreign case law – favorable decisions elsewhere help – gestalt perceptionjudges often, a third force
Generics look at prosecution histories all over – EPO highly respected
Suppression –big cause for failure - overstate
Strategies
Demystify the scienceUse the defendants patent applications for
estoppel argumentsHighlight Public Interest, pricing, patient access,
investment in drug developmentAvoid Interim – move to Fast track
CasesNovartis Gleevec Supreme Court (19th April)Roche vs Cipla – final Arguments (April)GSK vs Union of India – writ quashed publicationUnited Phosphorus – pesticide formulation – suit
decreed 34 days20 other suits of BMS, Sanofi Aventis, Scherring
Plough etc likely to conclude in 2011
Conclusions
• Despite the weak legislation, major positive changes
• Bulk decisions in 2011 will show the long lasting trends
• Other high courts may be positively impacted – time will tell..