InterPharma Pty Ltd v Hospira, Inc (No 5) [2019] FCA 960

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

InterPharma Pty Ltd v Hospira, Inc (No 5) [2019] FCA 960 File number: VID 885 of 2017

Judge: KENNY J

Date of judgment: 20 June 2019

Catchwords: PATENTS – dexmedetomidine in intensive care unit sedation – construction of claims – alleged invalidity of patent on grounds of lack of clarity, manner of manufacture, novelty, inventive step and fair basis – challenge to validity of patent rejected – whether proposed conduct threatened to infringe claims of patent prior to expiry – threatened infringement established

Legislation: Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) ss 69, 136 Patents Act 1990 (Cth) ss 7, 13, 18, 40, 117, 138, Sch 1 Statute of Monopolies 1623 (Imp) s 6 Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 (Cth) ss 3, 23

Cases cited: Actavis UK Ltd v Janssen Pharmaceuticals NV [2008] EWHC 1422; FSR 35 Actavis UK Ltd v Merck & Co Inc [2008] EWCA Civ 444; [2009] 1 All ER 196 Advanced Building Systems Pty Ltd v Ramset Fasteners (Aust) Pty Ltd [1998] HCA 19; 194 CLR 171 Ajinomoto Co Inc v NutraSweet Australia Pty Ltd [2008] FCAFC 34; 76 IPR 1; 166 FCR 530 Aktiebolaget Hässle v Alphapharm Pty Ltd [2002] HCA 59; 212 CLR 411 Albany Molecular Research Inc v Alphapharm Pty Ltd [2011] FCA 120; 90 IPR 457 Apotex Pty Ltd v Sanofi-Aventis Australia Pty Ltd (No 2) [2012] FCAFC 102; 96 IPR 185; 204 FCR 494 Apotex Pty Ltd v Sanofi-Aventis Australia Pty Ltd [2013] HCA 50; 253 CLR 284 AstraZeneca AB v Apotex Pty Ltd [2014] FCAFC 99; 107 IPR 177; 226 FCR 324 AstraZeneca AB v Apotex Pty Ltd [2015] HCA 30; 257 CLR 356 Austal Ships Sales Pty Ltd v Stena Rederi Aktiebolag [2008] FCAFC 121; 77 IPR 229 Beadcrete Pty Ltd v Fei Yu (t/as Jewels 4 Pools) (No 2) [2013] FCA 187; 100 IPR 188 Bristol-Myers Squibb Co v Baker Norton Pharmaceuticals Inc [1999] RPC 253 Bristol-Myers Squibb Co v F H Faulding & Co Ltd [2000] FCA 316; 97 FCR 524 Britax Childcare Pty Ltd v Infa-Secure Pty Ltd (No 4) [2015] FCA 651; 113 IPR 280 British Acoustic Films Ltd v Nettlefold Productions (1936) 53 RPC 221 British Dynamite Co v Krebs (1879) 13 RPC 190 C Van Der Lely NV v Bamfords Ltd (1962) 1A IPR 86; [1963] RPC 61 Catnic Components Ltd v Hill & Smith Ltd [1982] RPC 183 Commissioner of Patents v Emperor Sports Pty Ltd [2006] FCAFC 26; 67 IPR 488; 149 FCR 386 Commissioner of Patents v Microcell Ltd (1959) 102 CLR 232 D'Arcy v Myriad Genetics Inc [2015] HCA 35; 258 CLR 334 Davies v Lazer Safe Pty Ltd [2018] FCA 702; 132 IPR 202 Davies v Lazer Safe Pty Ltd [2019] FCAFC 65 Electric and Musical Industries, Ltd v Lissen, Ltd [1938] 4 All ER 221; (1939) 56 RPC 23 Fei Yu t/as Jewels 4 Pools v Beadcrete Pty Ltd [2014] FCAFC 117; 107 IPR 517 Flexible Steel Lacing Co v Beltreco Ltd [2000] FCA 890; 49 IPR 331 Freeman v TJ and FL Pohlner Pty Ltd (1994) 30 IPR 377 Fresenius Medical Care Australia Pty Limited v Gambro Pty Limited [2005] FCAFC 220; 67 IPR 230; 224 ALR 168 General Tire & Rubber Co v Firestone Tyre & Rubber Co Ltd [1972] RPC 457 Generic Health Pty Ltd v Bayer Pharma Aktiengesellschaft [2014] FCAFC 73; 222 FCR 336; 106 IPR 381 GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Investments (Ireland) (No 2) Ltd v Generic Partners Pty Ltd [2018] FCAFC 71; 131 IPR 384 H Lundbeck A/S v Alphapharm Pty Ltd [2009] FCAFC 70; 88 IPR 228; 177 FCR 151 Harwood v Great Northern Railway Co (1865) 11 HLC 654 Hill v Evans (1862) 4 De GF & J 288; 1A IPR 1 ICI Chemicals & Polymers Ltd v The Lubrizol Co Inc [2000] FCA 1349; 49 IPR 513; 106 FCR 214 IGT (Australia) Pty Ltd v Aristocrat Technologies Australia Ltd [2008] FCAFC 131; 77 IPR 482 Insta Image Pty Ltd v KD Kanopy Australasia Pty Ltd [2008] FCAFC 139; 239 FCR 117 InterPharma Pty Ltd v Hospira, Inc (No 3) [2017] FCA 1536 Jupiters Ltd v Neurizon Pty Ltd [2005] FCAFC 90; 65 IPR 86; 222 ALR 155 Kimberly-Clark Australia Pty Ltd v Arico Trading International Pty Ltd [2001] HCA 8; 207 CLR 1 Kirin-Amgen Inc v Hoechst Marion Roussel Ltd [2004] UKHL 46; 64 IPR 444; [2005] 1 All ER 667 Lockwood Security Products Pty Ltd v Doric Products Pty Ltd (No 2) [2007] HCA 21; 235 CLR 173 Lockwood Security Products Pty Ltd v Doric Products Pty Ltd [2004] HCA 58; 217 CLR 274 Martin v Scribal Pty Ltd (1954) 92 CLR 17 Merck & Co Inc v Arrow Pharmaceuticals Ltd [2006] FCAFC 91; 68 IPR 511; 154 FCR 31 Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co v Beiersdorf (Australia) Ltd (1980) 144 CLR 253 Monsanto Co v Commissioner of Patents (1974) 48 ALJR 59 Morgan & Co v Windover & Co (1890) 7 RPC 131 Mylan Health Pty Ltd v Sun Pharma ANZ Pty Ltd [2019] FCA 28; 138 IPR 402 N V Philips Gloeilampenfabrieken v Mirabella International Pty Ltd (1995) 183 CLR 655 National Research Development Corporation v Commissioner of Patents (1959) 102 CLR 252 Nesbit Evans Group Australia Pty Ltd v Impro Ltd [1997] FCA 1092; 39 IPR 56 Olin Corporation v Super Cartridge Co Pty Ltd (1977) 180 CLR 236 Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co Ltd v Generic Health Pty Ltd (No 2) [2016] FCAFC 111; 120 IPR 431 Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co Ltd v Generic Health Pty Ltd (No 4) [2015] FCA 634; 113 IPR 191 Pope Appliance Co v Spanish River Pulp and Paper Mills Ltd (1929) 46 RPC 23 Re BA's Application (1915) 32 RPC 348 Rodi & Wienenberger AG v Henry Showell Ltd [1969] RPC 367 Samsung Electronics Company Ltd v Apple Inc [2011] FCAFC 156; 217 FCR 238 Sanofi-Aventis Australia Pty Ltd v Apotex Pty Ltd (No 3) [2011] FCA 846; 196 FCR 1 Sigma Pharmaceuticals (Australia) Pty Ltd v Wyeth [2011] FCAFC 132; 119 IPR 194 Streetworx Pty Ltd v Artcraft Urban Group Pty Ltd [2014] FCA 1366; 110 IPR 82 W R Grace & Co v Asahi Kasei Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (1993) 25 IPR 481 Warner-Lambert Co LLC v Apotex Pty Ltd (No 2) [2018] FCAFC 26; 129 IPR 205 Wellcome Foundation Ltd v VR Laboratories (Aust) Pty Ltd (1981) 148 CLR 262