A niche blog dedicated to the issues that arise when supplementary protection certificates (SPCs) extend patents beyond their normal life -- and to the respective positions of patent owners, investors, competitors and consumers. The blog also addresses wider issues that may be of interest or use to those involved in the extension of patent rights. You can email The SPC Blog here

Tuesday, 4 November 2014

Specific Mechanism applies to paediatric extensions, says Danish Court

From Martin Dræbye Gantzhorn (Partner, Head of Life Science & Healthcare, Horten Advokatpartnerselskab, Copenhagen) comes this swift, short note to inform readers of The SPC Blog that in October the Danish Maritime and Commercial Court rendered a very rare decision on the scope of the "Specific Mechanism". The proceedings concerned the question whether a paediatric extension to a SPC will also prolong the patentee's protection under the "Specific Mechanism". In short:
The defendant (Orifarm) had imported a pharmaceutical product, MSD’s Singulair, from Poland during the term of the paediatric extension of the SPC. The plaintiff brought interlocutory injunction proceedings, claiming that such imports could be prohibited relying upon the "Specific Mechanism".

As its primary line of defence, the defendant held that the paediatric extension did not prolong the protection conferred by the "Specific Mechanism". As its second line of defence, the defendant held that, even if such protection could be conferred by a paediatric extension, such extension would only be applicable to those of the plaintiff's products which -- by their strength -- were indicated for children.

The Bailiff's Court (the court of first instance) held that the patent, the SPC and the paediatric extension thereof were to be considered as a single coherent right that covers all products and not just the ones authorized for the treatment of children. Accordingly, the Bailiff's Court found for the plaintiff.

The Maritime and Commercial Court agreed with the Bailiff's Court, stating that the expression "such protection" under the Specific Mechanism as stated in the Treaty of Accession is to be interpreted as the patent protection being one continuous string of protection. The Maritime and Commercial Court added that the paediatric extension is not dependent on a product being indicated for the treatment of children, but only on whether or not the drug is tested for children.

The protection would not therefore terminate until the paediatric extension had expired.
The judgement (in Danish) can be found here.

Thanks, Martin, for this really helpful summary.

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