Pfizer Ireland Pharmaceuticals v Samsung Bioepis AU Pty Ltd (No 4) [2024] FCA 678

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Pfizer Ireland Pharmaceuticals v Samsung Bioepis AU Pty Ltd (No 4) [2024] FCA 678 File number(s): NSD 331 of 2022

Judgment of: BURLEY J

Date of judgment: 18 June 2024

Catchwords: PATENTS – discovery – whether "fishing" – excessive prior art permutations under s 7(3) of the Patents Act 1900 (Cth) – relevance of inventor's notes to inventive step – discovery not granted. PATENTS – discovery - best method under s 40(2) of the Patents Act 1900 (Cth) – discovery granted.

Legislation: Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) s 37M Patents Act 1990 (Cth) ss 7(2), 7(3), 40(1)(a), 40(2) Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) rr 20.14, 20.15 and Schedule 1

Cases cited: BlueScope Steel Limited v Dongkuk Steel Mill Co Ltd [2017] FCA 1537 Compagnie Financière et Commerciale du Pacifique v Peruvian Guano Co (1882) 11 QBD 55 DSM Nutritional Products LLC v Suntory Holdings Ltd [2013] FCA 675 GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Investments (Ireland) (No 2) Limited v Generic Partners Pty Limited [2018] FCAFC 71; (2018) 264 FCR 474 Les Laboratoires Servier v Apotex Pty Ltd [2016] FCAFC 27; 247 FCR 61 Pfizer Ireland Pharmaceuticals v Samsung Bioepis AU Pty Ltd [2017] FCA 285 Pfizer Overseas Pharmaceuticals & Ors v Eli Lilly & Co [2005] FCAFC 224; 225 ALR 416 Schutz DSL (Australia) Pty Ltd v VIP Plastic Packaging Pty Ltd (No 14) [2011] FCA 1159 Teva Pharma Australia Pty Ltd v Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GMBH & Co. KG [2019] FCA 625 Wellcome Foundation v VR Laboratories (Aust) Pty Ltd [1981] HCA 12; (1981) 148 CLR 262