UPC APP 11293/2025

—·EP2401365: REENGINEERING MRNA PRIMARY STRUCTURE FOR ENHANCED PROTEIN PRODUCTION

Case details: Status
—
Action
Preliminary objection
Category
Preliminary Objection
Parties: Claimants
Promosome LLC
Reps: Georg A. Rauh (Vossius & Partner)
Respondents
BioNTech SE
BioNTech Manufacturing GmbH
BioNTech Manufacturing Marburg GmbH
BioNTech Innovative Manufacturing Services GmbH
BioNTech Europe GmbH
Pfizer Manufacturing Belgium NV
Pfizer SAS
Pfizer AB
Pfizer, Inc.
Reps: Christine Kanz (Hoyng Rokh Monegier); Tobias J. Hessel (Clifford Chance Partnerschaft mbB)
Division: Munich LD
Judges: Andras Kupecz · Judge-rapporteur
Technology: Biotechnology
Language: —
First decided: Apr 17, 2025

Decisions

2025-04-17
JurisdictionalPreliminary objection
Munich Local Division order (judge-rapporteur Kupecz) deferring the preliminary objection by BioNTech and Pfizer defendants to be dealt with in the main infringement proceedings. Promosome LLC sued BioNTech/Pfizer for infringement of EP 2 401 365 (mRNA patent) via Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccines. Defendants raised a preliminary objection challenging UPC jurisdiction over acts committed before 1 June 2023. The court found the objection admissible but ordered it to be resolved in the main proceedings (R. 20.2 RoP). Jurisdiction over acts from 1 June 2023 onward was uncontested.
Legal issues:Preliminary objection on temporal jurisdiction (Art. 32/3 UPCA)UPC jurisdiction over pre-UPCA entry into force infringement actsmRNA vaccine technology / Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine

Documents