UPC APP 56246/2024
—·EP4183412: RSV F PROTEIN COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR MAKING SAME
- Case details
- Status—ActionPreliminary objectionCategoryPreliminary Objection
- Parties
- Respondents
- Pfizer Manufacturing Belgium NV
- Pfizer, Inc.
- Pfizer Europe MA EEIG
- Pfizer S.A.
- Pfizer Ltd
- Pfizer Pharma GmbH
- Pfizer Service Company S.R.L.
- Pfizer B.V.
Reps: Gareth Owen Williams (Marks & Clerk LLP) - Division
- Milan CD
- Judges
- —
- Technology
- Biotechnology
- Language
- —
- First decided
- Dec 3, 2024
- 2024-12-03DismissedJurisdictionalPreliminary objection
The Milan Central Division rejected GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals S.A.'s preliminary objection (R. 19 RoP) in the revocation action UPC_CFI_476/2024 (EP 4 183 412 — a vaccine-related patent owned by GSK). GSK argued that a parallel infringement action by Pfizer before the Düsseldorf Local Division challenged the Central Division's competence over the revocation action. The Court held that the infringement action appeared inadmissible when lodged (filed on 5 August 2024, before the patent was granted on 14 August 2024) and therefore could not challenge the Central Division's competence over the revocation action under Art. 33 UPCA. The request for a hearing before deciding the preliminary objection was also rejected.
Legal issues:Preliminary objection under R. 19 RoP — competence of Central DivisionAdmissibility of infringement action filed before patent grantArt. 33 UPCA — relationship between infringement action and Central Division revocation jurisdictionParallel proceedings and lis pendens
- E5F84BB34BE6B6DCC0F5EB99378AB579_en.pdf2024-12-03EN