1. Patent Litigation in India
Pravin Anand
Anand And Anand
MIP International Patent Forum 2011
April 5, 2011, London

2. The Challenges… First, a weak Patent Law
Pre and post grant oppositions (Span case)
Rigid deadlines (4)
Section 3(d) - Novartis
Section 8 - Chemtura
Working requirements , Compulsory licence
Section 39

3. The Challenges… Second, Generics, Copyleft, open-source aggressive:
Parliamentary Forums
Judge training
Press/Blogs
No counter measures by innovators

4. The Challenges… Third, top ten filers are chemistry patents
World trend: top filers are IT companies
Being an IT Power, ironic that Chemistry leads
Generics – very patent savvy..

5. The Changes… 2005 Patent Amendments CPC – Streamlining Processes
Supreme Court – 4 month orders (20 in 2010)
Delhi High Court – 70% IP cases
Docket Management
Old order – 5 to 10 years
Today – possibly 6 months to one year

6. e Court

7. Remedies Revolution Ex parte injunctions – before launch “status quo”
Expedited trial preferred
Anton Piller, Mareva Injunctions
John Doe Orders
Damages : Punitive / Exemplary (65 orders)

8. Time Inc vs. Lokesh Srivastava
Red Border contributed to finding of dishonesty
Punitive/ exemplary damages granted for the first time

9. Strategies Design action before launch Emphasis on original documents
Issues : Document : Witness analysis – cannot miss the document window in fast track
Expert evidence of great value ( average – 2 witnesses per side, 6 hours cross, 150 ques)
Emphasis on original documents
Section 65 – Secondary evidence
Section 65 B – Internet downloads

10. Strategies Invalidation before IPAB or counter claim before High Court
IPAB slow
High Court Fast
May avoid cease & desist notice
Amendments allowed - infringement action
or after invalidation

11. Strategies
Judges Rely on foreign case law – favorable decisions elsewhere help – gestalt perception
judges often, a third force
Generics look at prosecution histories all over – EPO highly respected
Suppression –big cause for failure - overstate

12. Strategies Demystify the science
Use the defendants patent applications for estoppel arguments
Highlight Public Interest, pricing, patient access, investment in drug development
Avoid Interim – move to Fast track

13. Cases Novartis Gleevec Supreme Court (19th April)
Roche vs Cipla – final Arguments (April)
GSK vs Union of India – writ quashed publication
United Phosphorus – pesticide formulation – suit decreed 34 days
20 other suits of BMS, Sanofi Aventis, Scherring Plough etc likely to conclude in 2011

14. Conclusions Despite the weak legislation, major positive changes
Bulk decisions in 2011 will show the long lasting trends
Other high courts may be positively impacted – time will tell..