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..