Glaxo Wellcome UK Ltd (t/a Allen & Hanburys) & Anor v Sandoz Ltd & Ors

Glaxo Wellcome UK Ltd (t/a Allen & Hanburys) & Anor v Sandoz Ltd & Ors

Special circumstances exist justifying permission for the second claimant to use the specified disclosed documents in the Belgian proceedings and for advice on potential new claims. The documents are likely to be relevant, the use is limited and justified, confidentiality can be maintained, and the interests of justice favour permitting use. The risk of injustice to the Sandoz Defendants is minimal and outweighed by the claimants' legitimate interests.

Parties
Claimant: Glaxo Wellcome UK Limited (t/a Allen & Hanburys); Claimant: Glaxo Group Limited; Defendant: Sandoz Limited; Defendant: Sandoz International GMBH; Defendant: Aeropharm GMBH; Defendant: Hexal AG; Defendant: Sandoz AG; Defendant: Vectura Group plc; Defendant: Vectura Delivery Devices Limited
Jurisdiction
England and Wales
Judgment Date
30 November 2018
Procedural Posture
Intellectual Property / Commercial / Interlocutory Application for Permission to Use Disclosed Documents in Foreign Proceedings
Outcome
Application granted in part
Legal Topics
Collateral Use of Disclosed Documents, Passing Off, Trade Marks, Confidentiality, Foreign Proceedings
Intellectual Property Civil Procedure Collateral Use of Disclosed Documents Passing Off Trade Marks Confidentiality Foreign Proceedings

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Parties

Glaxo Wellcome UK Limited (t/a Allen & Hanburys)

Claimant

Glaxo Group Limited

Claimant

Sandoz Limited

Defendant

Sandoz International GMBH

Defendant

Aeropharm GMBH

Defendant

Hexal AG

Defendant

Sandoz AG

Defendant

Vectura Group plc

Defendant

Vectura Delivery Devices Limited

Defendant

Procedural Posture

Intellectual Property / Commercial / Interlocutory Application for Permission to Use Disclosed Documents in Foreign Proceedings

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether the second claimant should be permitted to use documents disclosed in these proceedings for the purposes of litigation in Belgium and potential new actions in Belgium against additional parties
  2. 2 Whether the documents are likely to be relevant to the Belgian proceedings and/or advice on new claims
  3. 3 Whether special circumstances exist justifying release from the implied undertaking under CPR 31.22(1)(b)

Ratio Decidendi

Special circumstances exist justifying permission for the second claimant to use the specified disclosed documents in the Belgian proceedings and for advice on potential new claims. The documents are likely to be relevant, the use is limited and justified, confidentiality can be maintained, and the interests of justice favour permitting use. The risk of injustice to the Sandoz Defendants is minimal and outweighed by the claimants' legitimate interests.

Court Disposition

Application granted in part

Orders

  • Permission granted to the second claimant to use the redacted documents (excluding specified documents) included in the two document bundles produced on 2 November 2018 for the purposes of the Belgian proceedings and advice on potential new claims.
  • Confidentiality regime to be maintained as agreed between the parties.