UPC CoA 71/2025
Jan 27, 2025·EP3456214 · VAPORIZER
- Case details
- StatusCase Closed (Patent revoked)ActionAppealCategoryMain appeal
- Parties
- Claimants
- VMR Products LLCOperating co.
Representatives- Bernhard Thum-Thum & Partner
- Tobias Wuttke-Bardehle Pagenberg
Respondents- NJOY Netherlands B.V.Operating co.
Representatives- Henrik Holzapfel-McDermott Will & Schulte
- Division
- Court of Appeal
- Technology
- Electrical engineeringElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- InstrumentsMedical technology
- Other fieldsOther consumer goods
- Language
- English
- First decided
- Dec 29, 2025
- EPO Opposition
- Nicoventures Holdings Limited2021-08-18
| Median days to first decision | |
|---|---|
| All UPC | 124 |
| Judge Rian Kalden | Locked |
| Judge Ingeborg Simonsson | Locked |
| Judge Patricia Rombach | Locked |
| Judge Andrea Scilletta | Locked |
| Judge Wiem Samoud | Locked |
At the UPC: VMR Products LLC (13 cases)·Altria Group (45 cases)
This dispute contains 12 other proceedings
UPC CFI 313/2026·UPC CoA 257/2025·UPC CFI 167/2025·UPC CFI 164/2025·UPC APP 67869/2024 and 7 more
Start a free trial to see how each one ended.
More cases: Court of Appeal·2025
- 2025-12-29Appeal RoP220.1Public
Summary: The Court of Appeal dismissed VMR Products' appeal against the Central Division decision revoking EP 3 456 214 (vaporiser/e-cigarette patent). All claims, including auxiliary requests and dependent claims 12–14, were found to lack inventive step, primarily in view of prior art document Pan. The appeal raised procedural issues about the permissibility of new invalidity grounds in the Defence to the Application to Amend (R. 43.3 RoP) and the admission of new evidence. VMR Products bears NJOY's costs up to the applicable ceiling.
Show the legal issues (4)
- Inventive step
- Admissibility of new invalidity grounds in Defence to Application to Amend (R. 43.3 RoP)
- Admission of new evidence
- Common general knowledge
| Document title | Date | Public |
|---|---|---|
| Case closed | 2025-12-30 | Not public |
| Decision | 2025-12-29 | Not public |
| Decision | 2025-12-29 | Public |
| Communication | 2025-12-29 | Not public |
| Oral procedure closed | 2025-11-04 | Not public |
| Note | 2025-11-04 | Not public |
| Communication | 2025-10-22 | Not public |
| Oral procedure opened | 2025-09-30 | Not public |
| Written procedure closed | 2025-09-22 | Not public |
| Interim-Procedure-Closure | 2025-07-16 | Not public |