Here is Think IP Strategy’s weekly selection of top Pharma & Biotech intellectual property news breaking in the blogosphere and internet.
Highlights this week included:
US: District Court Columbia: Patents for guiding selection of therapeutic treatments invalid under Bilski and Prometheus: Smartgene v Advanced Biological (Docket Report) (Holman’s Biotech IP Blog) (Patent Docs)
Taxotere (Docetaxel) – US: Despite Therasense: Federal Circuit finds Aventis patent unenforceable: Aventis v Hospira (Patently-O) (IPKat) (PharmaPatents)
Please join the discussion by adding your comments on any of these stories, and please do let us know if you think we’ve missed something important, or if there is a source you think should be monitored.
General
World Health Organization’s Consultative Expert Working Group on R&D Financing releases its Report (KEI)
WHO / EU “Bad Medicine” Plans: flaws, coordination gaps (IP Watch)
Medical device patent volume surges in 2011 (IP Solutions Blog)
Interesting empirical study looks at role of DNA patents and tech transfer licensing policies in the development of diagnostic tests (Holman’s Biotech IP Blog)
New patented drugs save us all money and help those in dire need (BIOtechNOW)
Canada: Should Canada strengthen IP protection for pharmaceutical products? The European Union thinks so… (IP Osgoode)
EU: The root of the problem: equitable remuneration for use of a plant variety: Case C-509/10 Josef and Thomas Geistbeck v Saatgut‑Treuhandverwaltungs GmbH (IPKat)
EU: CJEU declares Poland’s law on cheap drugs contrary to EU Law: C-185/10 European Commission v Republic of Poland (IPKat)
EU: The Neurim hearing: an eye-witness account: C-130/11 Neurim Pharmaceuticals (The SPC Blog)
EU: Group says industry, EPO finding loopholes to patent seeds, plants (IP Watch)
India compulsory license: A Times of India article says it’s not helping the poor (BIOtechNOW)
Israel: Pharmaceuticals in Israel to require labeling in four languages. This may impact best trademark practice. (The IP Factor)
Netherlands: District Court of The Hague confirms earlier jurisprudence – obtaining marketing authorization for generic drug not sufficient threat of infringement of a patent: Merck v. Teva (EPLAW)
Switzerland: Administrative Court confirms its strict view on likelihood of confusion in case concerning figurative marks registered for pharmaceuticals, surgical instruments and medical services (Class 46)
US: Supreme Court holds that a law of nature applied using known and obvious steps is not patent eligible: Mayo v Prometheus (Intellectual Property Law Blog) (Patent Baristas) (ipwars.com) (IP Whiteboard) (Intellectual Property Directions)
USPTO issues guidelines on Prometheus decision (Patent Baristas) (Patent Docs) (PharmaPatents)
US: The impact of Mayo v Prometheus: three weeks in (Patently-O)
US: Prometheus v Mayo – A European view (Patently-O)
US: Do diagnostic method claims fall under the safe harbor of 35 U.S.C. § 287(c)? (And if so, would that address Justice Breyer’s concerns in Mayo v. Prometheus)? (Patent Docs)
US: Punishing Prometheus: Part V – The long punt and the improbable return (Patently-O)
US: Punishing Prometheus: Part IV – Machine or transformation, we hardly knew thee… (Patently-O)
US: Punishing Prometheus: Part III – Conclusions masquerading as analysis (Patently-O)
US: Self-replicating inventions: Supreme Court asks for Government’s views in Monsanto patent exhaustion case: Bowman v Monsanto (Patently-O)
US: District Court sees through misleading allegations in PubPat lawsuit against Monsanto (Holman’s Biotech IP Blog)
US: CAFC vacates and remands decision by the BPAI awarding priority to Appellee: University of Southern California v. DePuy Spine (Patent Docs)
US: CAFC affirms District of New Jersey decision dismissing Pieczenik’s claim for failure to state claim on which relief could be granted: Pieczenik v. Bayer Corp (Patent Docs)
US: District Court Columbia: Patents for guiding selection of therapeutic treatments invalid under Bilski and Prometheus: Smartgene v Advanced Biological (Docket Report) (Holman’s Biotech IP Blog) (Patent Docs)
US: Attack on two Applied Biosystems nucleic acid probes among the reexamination requests filed the week of April 2, 2012 (WHDA)
US: KEI letter to Steve Ricchetti, asking recusal in matters that involve former clients (KEI)
US: GAO says device reviews are taking longer…and FDA says it is because your submission had quality issues (FDA Law Blog)
US: FDA’s third annual report to Congress on 505(q) citizen petitions; agency says the jury is still out on the petition law, but there are concerns (FDA Law Blog)
US: Pallone Bill takes an “Oscar Rogers approach” to 180-day exclusivity forfeiture and FDA’s Office of Generic Drugs: FIXIT! (FDA Law Blog)
US: USPTO requests reconsideration in patent term adjustment tolling case: Bristol Meyers Squibb v Kappos (PharmaPatents)
US: Precision BioSciences files patent infringement suit against Cellectis concerning I-Crel meganucleases (Patent Docs)
Products
Ablify (Aripiprazole) – Australia: Federal Court blocks generic Abilify: Otsuka v Generic Health (Patentology)
Bystolic (Nebivolol) – US: Forest Lab’s files patent infringement suits against Indchemie Health Specialities and Torrent Pharmaceuticals in response to Para IV certification filing (Patent Docs)
Drospirenone, Estradiol – UK: EWCA clarifies test concerning added subject matter and offers guidance on obviousness : Gedeon Richter v Bayer Schering (Kluwer Patent Blog)
Focalin XR (Dexmehtylphenidate) – US: Alkermes Pharma files patent infringement complaint against Actavis in response to Para IV challenge (Patent Docs)
Focalin XR (Dexmehtylphenidate) – US: Celgene files patent infringement complaint against Actavis in response to Para IV challenge (Patent Docs)
Gleevec (Imatinib) – India: Novartis India challenge postponed to July (IP Watch)
Gleevec (Imatinib) – India: Novartis’ Indian patent specification: on file with Spicy IP (Spicy IP)
Hectorol (Doxercalciferol) – US: PTO Board affirms rejection of Genzyme’s Doxercalciferol patent (WHDA)
Latisse (Bimatoprost) – US: Allergan files patent infringement complaint against Apotex over ANDA filing (Patent Docs)
Lialda (Mesalamine) – US: Shire files patent infringement suit against Osmotica in response to Para IV certification filing (Patent Docs)
Nexavar (Sorefenib) – India’s first compulsory licence: Patents vs Public Health? (IP Osgoode)
Niaspan (Niacin) – US: Abbott files patent infringement suit against Watson in response to Para IV challenge (Patent Docs)
Provigil (Modafinil) – US: First dust up over generic Provigil 180-day exclusivity quickly put on hold with TRO/PI motion withdrawal, but is followed up with a second lawsuit (FDA Law Blog)
Remodulin (Treprostinil) – US: United Therapeutics files patent infringement suit against Sandoz in response to Para IV challenge (Patent Docs)
Seroquel (Quetiapine) – UK: EWHC (Pat) invalidates two patent claims: Teva v AstraZeneca (EPLAW)
Seroquel (Quetiapine) – US: AstraZeneca loses TRO bid in second generic Seroquel lawsuit (FDA Law Blog)
Sustiva (Efavirenz) – UK: Interim injunctions – “You may not have the right to remain silent”: Merck v Teva (Kluwer Patent Blog)
Taxotere (Docetaxel) – US: Despite Therasense: Federal Circuit finds Aventis patent unenforceable: Aventis v Hospira (Patently-O) (IPKat) (PharmaPatents)
Vancocin (Vancomycin HCl) – US: FDA denies ViroPharma citizen petition and approves generic Vancocin; ViroPharma lawsuit to follow (FDA Law Blog)
VEGF Trap Eye – UK: Genetech patent valid and infringed: Regeneron v. Genentech and Bayer v. Genentech (IPKat) (EPLAW)
Veltin (Tretinoin, Clindamycin) – US: Medicis files patent infringement suit against Stiefel and Glaxosmithkline over manufacture and sale of Veltin (Patent Docs)
Zetomax (Lisinopril) – South Africa: Supreme Court of Appeal hands down landmark pharma trade marks judgment: Adcock Ingram v Cipla Medpro (Afro-IP)