The Business Law Reports
[2008] Bus LR 487
Chancery Division
Arrow Generics Ltd and another v Merck & Co Inc
[2007] EWHC 1900 (Pat)
2007 July 12;
31
Kitchin J
Patent— European patent— Application— European Patent Office revoking defendant’s patent— Claimant introducing generic product— Defendant making divisional applications carved from original patent— EPO allowing divisionals covering claimant’s generic product to proceed— Claimant seeking declaration that own product obvious at priority date— Whether relief precluded by statutory provision restricting challenges to validity of patents— Whether jurisdiction to grant relief—
Patents Act 1977 (c 37), s 74
Patent— European patent— Validity— Defendant making divisional application— European Patent Office granting patent with United Kingdom designation— Defendant withdrawing designation before grant mentioned in Bulletin— Grant erroneously mentioned with United Kingdom designation— Whether patent extending to United Kingdom— Whether jurisdiction to declare invalid—
Convention on the Grant of European Patents (1978) (Cmnd 7090), arts 79(3), 97(4)