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UPC CFI 613/2024

Oct 23, 2024·EP3397329 +1 more: AIR-FLOW IN A NEBULIZER HEAD

Case details
Status
Case Closed
Action
Revocation
Category
Main Revocation Action
Parties
Claimants
Reps: Holger Stratmann
Respondents
Reps: Michael Ras
Division
Milan CD
Judges
Technology
Medical Devices · Drug Delivery · Pharmaceutical & Medical
Language
English
First decided
Nov 27, 2025
Claims
At issue1
Maintained1
Amended1
Notes: Revocation action rejected; EP 3 397 329 maintained as amended by Auxiliary Request 2 (claim 1 as granted not novel over D1, but AR2 claim 1 inventive and valid).
Decisions
  • 2025-11-27
    Patent maintainedRevocation meritsRevocation Action

    The Milan Central Division dismissed Pari Pharma's revocation action against Philips' nebulizer patent EP 3 397 329 (unitary effect), upholding the patent after finding the prior art combinations relied upon by the claimant do not render the invention obvious to the skilled person.

    Legal issues:Inventive step (nebulizer head air-flow patent)Standing under Art. 47(6) UPCAClaim construction of schematic figures
  • 2025-11-27
    Revocation Action

    The Milan Central Division (full panel: Postiglione, Klein, Callewaert) rectified an obvious slip in its final decision of 27 November 2025 in the revocation action brought by Pari Pharma GmbH against Koninklijke Philips N.V. concerning EP 3 397 329. The decision had incorrectly stated that the patent is registered with unitary effect; this sentence was deleted. The parties did not object.

    Legal issues:Rectification of obvious slip in decision (R. 353 RoP)Unitary patent vs. European patent with national designations
Documents
Document titleDatePublic
action.communication.general2026-02-27Not public
Other Documents2026-02-27Not public
action.issueOrder.order2026-02-24Not public
Order2026-02-24Public
action.issueOrder.order2026-02-06Not public
Order2026-02-06Not public
action.phaseChange.caseClose2025-11-28Not public
action.issueDecision.decision2025-11-27Not public
Decision2025-11-27Public
Other Documents2025-10-07Not public
action.issueOrder.order2025-09-26Not public
Order2025-09-26Not public
57595/2024/IC/MIL-CTL/UPC2025091610AM2025-09-16Not public
57595/2024/IC/MIL-CTL/UPC2025091610AM2025-09-16Not public
Interim Conference Recording2025-09-16Not public
Interim Conference Recording2025-09-16Not public
Agenda IC2025-09-11Public
Receipt2025-08-18Not public
2025-08-18_Response to Procedural Order Agenda for IC2025-08-18Not public
Acknowledgement-of-change-of-a-representative2025-08-11Not public
Application-RoP293-Receipt2025-08-11Not public
Formal-checks_Notification-of-positive-outcome2025-08-11Not public
Application-RoP2932025-08-11Not public
Application to change a representative (RoP293)2025-08-11Not public
Fix-Interim-Conference-Date2025-07-10Not public
Interim-Conference-Decision2025-07-10Not public
Written-Procedure-Closure2025-07-10Not public
Hearing-Dates2025-07-09Not public
Summons to the Interim Conference2025-07-09Public
Template-Order2025-07-09Not public
Rejoin-Amend-Patent-Defence2025-05-19Not public
Rejoinder to the Reply to the Defence2025-05-19Not public
Acknowledgement-of-lodging2025-04-18Not public
Philips' Rejoinder in revocation action2025-04-18Not public
Reply-Amend-Patent-Defence2025-04-18Not public
Philips' Reply in Application to amend2025-04-18Not public
Outcome of the Order2025-04-02Not public
Request timely filing final order2025-04-02Public
Comments by Philips2025-03-31Not public
Preliminary order - defendant to reply to RoP 9 request2025-03-25Not public
Receipt2025-03-24Not public
2025-03-24_Procedural Request2025-03-24Not public
Acknowledgement-of-lodging2025-03-24Not public
HE 20 Kommissionierauftrag2025-03-24Not public
HE 17t Trans. HE 172025-03-24Not public
HE 22 Speditionsauftrag2025-03-24Not public
HE 26 Aenderungsmitteilung2025-03-24Not public
HE 25 Written Witness Statement Thomas Gallem2025-03-24Not public
HE 6t Trans. HE 62025-03-24Not public
HE 24 Written Witness Statement Peter Kallus2025-03-24Not public
HE 21 Delivery Note2025-03-24Not public
HE 27 Photographs of HE 72025-03-24Not public
HE 6a GA (Kurz) eMotion2025-03-24Not public
HE 24t Translation Written Witness Statement of Peter Kallus2025-03-24Not public
HE 19 Nachweis_Zahlungseingang_Matsuyoshi_20082025-03-24Not public
HE 7t Trans. HE 72025-03-24Not public
HE 7a eMotion GA 078D10022025-03-24Not public
HE 28 Erstmusterpruefberichte2025-03-24Not public
HE 6at - English Translation of Anlage HE 6a2025-03-24Not public
HE 9a 078U3004_002132-correct2025-03-24Not public
HE 23 Agreement with Matsuyoshi Co Ltd2025-03-24Not public
2025-03-21_Reply to the Defence2025-03-24Not public
Acknowledgement-of-lodging2025-03-21Not public
HE 6at - English Translation of Anlage HE 6a2025-03-21Not public
HE 20 Kommissionierauftrag2025-03-21Not public
HE 6t Trans. HE 62025-03-21Not public
HE 24 Written Witness Statement Peter Kallus2025-03-21Not public
HE 6a GA (Kurz) eMotion2025-03-21Not public
HE 7t Trans. HE 72025-03-21Not public
HE 25 Written Witness Statement Thomas Gallem2025-03-21Not public
HE 23 Agreement with Matsuyoshi Co Ltd2025-03-21Not public
HE 27 Photographs of HE 72025-03-21Not public
HE 24t Translation Written Witness Statement of Peter Kallus2025-03-21Not public
2025-03-21_Reply to the Defence2025-03-21Not public
HE 26 Aenderungsmitteilung2025-03-21Not public
HE 28 Erstmusterpruefberichte2025-03-21Not public
HE 22 Speditionsauftrag2025-03-21Not public
HE 17t Trans. HE 172025-03-21Not public
HE 7a eMotion GA 078D10022025-03-21Not public
HE 9a 078U3004_002132-correct2025-03-21Not public
HE 19 Nachweis_Zahlungseingang_Matsuyoshi_20082025-03-21Not public
HE 21 Delivery Note2025-03-21Not public
Hearing-Dates2025-02-19Not public
Summons to the oral hearing2025-02-19Public
Summons to the oral hearing2025-02-19Not public
Hearing-Dates2025-02-19Not public
Receipt2025-01-22Not public
Acknowledgement-of-lodging2025-01-22Not public
Formal-checks_Notification-of-positive-outcome2025-01-22Not public
Formal-checks_Notification-of-positive-outcome2025-01-22Not public
2024PJT01711 confidentiality request2025-01-21Not public
Acknowledgement-of-lodging2025-01-21Not public
Exhibit 1 - Handelsregister PARI GmbH Spezialisten fuer effektive Inhalation2025-01-21Not public
2024PJT01711 Statement of Defence unredacted version2025-01-21Not public
Exhibit 3b - 2024PJT01711 2nd aux req.amended claims marked up2025-01-21Not public
Exhibit 3a - 2024PJT01711 2nd aux req.amended claims.clean2025-01-21Not public
2024PJT01711 Statement of Defence unredacted version2025-01-21Not public
Exhibit 2 - Handelsregister PARI Pharma GmbH2025-01-21Not public
Exhibit 3b - 2024PJT01711 2nd aux req.amended claims marked up2025-01-21Not public
2024PJT01711 Statement of Defence redacted version2025-01-21Not public
Exhibit 3a - 2024PJT01711 2nd aux req.amended claims.clean2025-01-21Not public
Panel-Appointment2024-12-16Not public
Notification Of Service2024-11-26Not public
Service status2024-11-26Not public
Acknowledgement of access to case2024-11-26Not public
communicationCheck2024-10-30Not public
Document from EPO2024-10-29Not public
Letter-for-Service2024-10-25Not public
Panel-Appointment2024-10-25Not public
EPO-Request-for-case-pending2024-10-25Not public
Acknowledgement-of-lodging2024-10-25Not public
Formal-checks_Notification-of-positive-outcome2024-10-25Not public
D2 WO002011089485A12024-10-23Not public
HE 6 Gebrauchsanweisung eMotion 078D10072024-10-23Not public
D7 US2005011514A12024-10-23Not public
HE 0_Copy of bank transfer2024-10-23Not public
D11 EP 2910268 A12024-10-23Not public
HE 18 Feature Analysis2024-10-23Not public
D3 EP1927373A12024-10-23Not public
HE 12 078E3400--Einatemventil-Grundkoerper-Vers-C2024-10-23Not public
HE 9 078B3400_000371_PDF_12024-10-23Not public
D5 US2011146670A12024-10-23Not public
D9 US2012085344A1_part1-2024-10-23Not public
D1 WO2016102308A12024-10-23Not public
D9 US2012085344A1_part22024-10-23Not public
HE 15 078U3001_000459_PDF_122024-10-23Not public
HE 16 078U4012_000624_PDF_92024-10-23Not public
HE 10 078E3656_005774_PDF_0-Verneblerkammer-Vers-A2024-10-23Not public
D10 WO2010066714A12024-10-23Not public
Patent in Suit EP_3397329_B12024-10-23Not public
HE 11 012E1720_000379_Mundstueck-Vers-E2024-10-23Not public
HE 13 078E3000_000298_Medikamentenkammer-Vers-C2024-10-23Not public
HE 8 078B3001_000381_eMotion--Vernebler--Vers-D2024-10-23Not public
HE 14 078B3800_000228_PDF_02024-10-23Not public
HE 1 8.5.08 SalRequest-Matsuyoshi Co Ltd. 100808122024-10-23Not public
Revocation Action2024-10-23Not public
HE 4 SalDelNote_ Matsuyoshi Co. Ltd. 130481262024-10-23Not public
D8 WO2014082818A12024-10-23Not public
HE 5 Fertigungsauftrag2024-10-23Not public
HE 2 28.5.08 SalRequest-Matsuyoshi Co Ltd. 100808122024-10-23Not public
HE 3 SalInvoice_ Matsuyoshi Co. Ltd. 200415592024-10-23Not public
D6 US2003072717A12024-10-23Not public
D4 WO2004052436A12024-10-23Not public
HE 7 GA eMotion 078D10022024-10-23Not public
HE 15.1 078U3006_003674_PDF_22024-10-23Not public
HE 17 2008-PARI-emotion-catalog-Japan2024-10-23Not public
Plain-English summary

Pari Pharma GmbH brought a revocation action at the Milan Central Division against Koninklijke Philips N.V.'s EP 3 397 329 (air-flow in a nebuliser head). The court found claim 1 as granted lacked novelty over D1 but upheld the patent in amended form pursuant to auxiliary request 2, rejecting all obviousness attacks including the D3+D7+D5 combination because D3 teaches away from omitting the inhalation valve. A subsequent rectification order corrected an error stating the patent had unitary effect.

Accepted arguments
What the court agreed with — by party.

  • Any entity operating in the technical field and potentially needing freedom to operate has standing to bring a revocation action

    ClaimantLegal basis: Art. 47(6) UPCA

    Note: Court confirmed Pari Pharma had standing as a company potentially needing freedom to operate in the nebuliser field.

  • Claim 1 as granted lacks novelty over D1

    Claimant

    Note: The court accepted that claim 1 as granted is anticipated by D1; this drove the need for the patent to be maintained in amended form.

  • Auxiliary request 2 claim 1 is inventive over all prior art combinations relied upon by claimant

    Respondent

    Note: Court found that D3 teaches away from omitting the inhalation valve and the skilled person would not combine D3 with D7 and D5 to arrive at the claimed invention.

  • Skilled person will not directly and unambiguously deduce dimensions from schematic figures

    Respondent

    Note: Court held as a headnote principle that schematic figures cannot serve as a source of dimensional disclosure.

Rejected arguments
What the court did not agree with — and why.

  • Combination of D3 with D7 and D5 renders auxiliary request 2 obvious

    Claimant

    Reason: D3 is directed to a device that accumulates aerosol during exhalation using an inhalation valve — an essential feature; there is no hint to remove the valve and D3 teaches away from omitting it, so the combination is not obvious.

  • Attack based on Pari eMotion plus D2 or D7 plus D5 against claim 1 as amended

    ClaimantLegal basis: UPC RoP front-loaded proceedings principle

    Reason: This attack was raised for the first time at oral hearing and is precluded by the front-loaded nature of UPC proceedings; claimant should have anticipated the narrower claim construction and presented this attack earlier.

Key legal principles
Doctrines and rules cited in the reasoning.
Any person needing freedom to operate in the patent's field has standing under Art. 47(6) UPCASkilled person will not derive dimensions from schematic figuresFront-loaded proceedings preclude new invalidity attacks first raised at oral hearingPrior art that teaches away from a modification renders an obviousness combination based on that modification untenableProblem-solution approach: objective technical problem must be identified before assessing whether the skilled person would arrive at the claimed solution

Browse other cases on this principle.

Prior art relied on
References cited and the role they played.
  • D1Novelty-destroying
  • D2Obviousness combination
  • D3Obviousness combination
  • D5Obviousness combination
  • D7Obviousness combination
  • Pari eMotion (prior art device)Obviousness combination
Claim construction notes

The court construed claim 1 as amended (auxiliary request 2) of EP 3 397 329 (nebuliser head airflow) more narrowly than the claimant anticipated, particularly regarding the 'backside opening' feature. The claimant expected the respondent would accept any opening behind the aperture surface as qualifying; the court found there was reason to anticipate the narrower construction, making the late-raised Pari eMotion attack precluded.