Idenix Pharmaceutical, Inc v Gilead Sciences, Inc & Ors [2014] EWHC 3916 (Pat) (01 December 2014)

Idenix Pharmaceutical, Inc v Gilead Sciences, Inc & Ors [2014] EWHC 3916 (Pat) (01 December 2014)

The patent is invalid for insufficiency because it claims a broad class of compounds without enabling the skilled person to make substantially all of them without undue burden. The claims are not supported by the disclosure, and the teaching does not enable the invention across the full breadth of the claims. The...

Source-derived case information.

Citation
[2014] EWHC 3916 (Pat)
Parties
Claimant: Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Defendant/part 20 Claimant: Gilead Sciences, Inc.; Defendant/part 20 Claimant: Gilead Sciences Ltd; Defendant/part 20 Defendant: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Defendant/part 20 Defendant: Università degli Studi di Cagliari; Defendant/part 20 Defendant: L'Université Montpellier II
Jurisdiction
England and Wales
Judgment Date
01 December 2014
Procedural Posture
Patent Infringement and Revocation / First Instance Judgment After Expedited Trial
Outcome
Patent revoked; infringement claim dismissed
Legal Topics
Patent Infringement, Patent Validity, Novelty, Inventive Step, Insufficiency, Added Matter, Entitlement to Priority
Intellectual Property Patent Law Patent Infringement Patent Validity Novelty Inventive Step Insufficiency Added Matter +1 more

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Summary, issues, holding and outcome

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Parties

Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Claimant

Gilead Sciences, Inc.

Defendant/part 20 Claimant

Gilead Sciences Ltd

Defendant/part 20 Claimant

Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

Defendant/part 20 Defendant

Università degli Studi di Cagliari

Defendant/part 20 Defendant

L'Université Montpellier II

Defendant/part 20 Defendant

Procedural Posture

Patent Infringement and Revocation / First Instance Judgment After Expedited Trial

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether Gilead infringed Idenix's European Patent (UK) No. 1 523 489 by keeping and disposing of sofosbuvir (Sovaldi)
  2. 2 Whether the patent is invalid for lack of novelty, inventive step, insufficiency, or added matter
  3. 3 Whether Gilead's Pharmasset PCT application was entitled to priority

Ratio Decidendi

The patent is invalid for insufficiency because it claims a broad class of compounds without enabling the skilled person to make substantially all of them without undue burden. The claims are not supported by the disclosure, and the teaching does not enable the invention across the full breadth of the claims. The patent is also invalid for lack of inventive step over the prior art. Gilead's sofosbuvir does not infringe any valid claim. The conditional amendments proposed by Idenix do not cure the insufficiency or inventive step defects.

Court Disposition

Patent revoked; infringement claim dismissed

Orders

  • Idenix's claim for infringement is dismissed
  • The patent is revoked for insufficiency and lack of inventive step