Case Reports

The Local Division Munich invalidated Promosome's licensed mRNA patent over Scripps' codon-optimisation method, then found BioNTech's Comirnaty vaccine would not have infringed the claims even had they been valid.

The Court of Appeal gave guidance on defending dependent claims, relying on EPO central limitation during UPC proceedings, and pleading revocation attacks. It also emphasised that inventive-step combinations require a proper pointer to the secondary reference.

GC Aesthetics, Avient, IQIP and Dall Energy: four 2026 UPC rulings reveal how courts weigh proportionality, confidentiality and timing before ordering a party to produce evidence under Rule 190.

The UPC's Düsseldorf Local Division found that Wessper's cartridges indirectly infringed Brita's patent, and that a narrower claim combination can turn a consumable into an essential element.

In Ericsson v ASUSTeK, the Milan Local Division refused a provisional measures application filed 21 months into the case, finding continuing infringement and rising losses alone do not establish urgency.

The UPC Local Division Milan revoked Cardo's provisional injunction against Reso, ruling its helmet intercom products fall outside the scope of EP4240194, neither literally nor by equivalence.

The Hamburg Local Division let Nixu pursue US-based Infoblox in the UPC for Germany, France and Finland, but threw out the UK claim. To reach a non-UPC territory through an anchor defendant, a claimant must plead joint infringement there.

The Helsinki Local Division found AIM's TV-advertising patent valid but not infringed by TGI, and with no Court of Appeal ruling on equivalence yet, adopted the four-step test both sides put forward, the UPC following the parties' lead.

In Agathon v Intercom, the UPC's Milan Local Division confirmed that statements made during EPO prosecution are not binding but can offer low-weight guidance on the skilled person's view — here narrowing 'abuts' against the patentee.

In Otec v Steros, the UPC's Dusseldorf Local Division revoked an ex parte inspection order after the applicant failed to sue on the merits in time, ordering all preserved evidence returned and destroyed.

On 2 June 2026 the UPC Court of Appeal overturned the Mannheim Local Division's infringement findings against Kodak in both Germany and the UK, on a prior user right in Germany, and on lack of defendant liability in the UK, while upholding the validity of EP 3511174 as amended and laying down a structured framework for exercising jurisdiction over non-EU designations.

These Decisions from the Local Division of the Unified Patent Court in Milan relate to EP2519412 and EP3519207. The Applicant, Pirelli Tyre S.P.A. ("Pirelli") brought two separate infringement actions following respective seizure orders against Tianjin Kingtyre Group Co., Ltd ("Kingtyre") and Sichuan Yuanxing Rubber Co., Ltd. ("SYR"), in view of the exhibition of allegedly infringing products by the defendants at the "International Motorcycle Exhibition" ("EICMA") between 5 and 10 November 2024.

WIRPLAST v VILPE (UPC Munich, April 2026): a roof-fan disclosure was a fair starting point, but the patent for a through-roof ventilation pipe with a spirit level survived; the skilled person would not have leaped.

The UPC Court of Appeal ruled that it lacks jurisdiction to assess costs applications and confirmed they must be filed at the Court of First Instance, rejecting a transfer request in Rematec v Europe Forestry.

In Emporia v Seoul Viosys, the UPC Central Division confirmed that the revocation of an independent claim does not automatically affect the validity of unchallenged claims. The decision underscores the importance of challenging all relevant claims where full patent revocation is sought.

On 20 December 2023, the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom handed down its judgment in Thaler v Comptroller-General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks [2023] UKSC 49 in which it unanimously...

This article first appeared in WTR Daily, part of World Trademark Review, in (month/year). For further information, please go to www.worldtrademarkreview.com.

The European Patent Office (EPO) has recently held many online conferences but the real highlight has been the Patent Knowledge week. There were three full days on 28-30 November discussing AI, the...

Introduction This case relates to (as stated by the judge) a "rare dispute as to the construction of a contract where one or both parties do not make some appeal to matters of factual matrix to...

The USPTO has announced a Semiconductor Technology Pilot Program for fast-track examination of qualifying semiconductor-related inventions. The program is designed to support the US CHIPS Act, which...

Lufthansa Technik AG v Astronics Advanced Electronic Systems & Ors [2023] EWCA Civ 1306 The Court of Appeal has denied Lufthansa permission to rely on certain arguments at an upcoming damages inquiry...

Clearview AI victorious on a fact specific exemption but what does this judgment mean for the extra territorial effect of the UK GDPR, in particular Article 3(2)(b)? (Clearview AI Inc v The...

The referring Board to G 2/21 has now published its full written decision in T 0116/18, following the issuance of the minutes in September. The Decision attempts to clarify the requirements of G...

Saint-Gobain Adfors S.A.S v 3M Innovative Properties Company [2023] EWHC 2769 (Pat) The High Court has rejected an application made by 3M to restrict Saint-Gobain's use of information disclosed by 3M...

On 21 November 2023 the High Court of England and Wales published its judgment in Emotional Perception AI v Comptroller-General of Patents [2023] EWHC 2948 (Ch) in which it found a patent application...

Lufthansa Technik AG v Panasonic Avionics Corporation [2023] EWCA Civ 1273 The Court of Appeal has granted Panasonic an extension of time to a deadline so that they can rely upon a witness statement...

The High Court has handed down its judgment in Astellas v Teva and Sandoz regarding Astellas' patent covering treatment for overactive bladder.

In this our fifth and final article for Black History Month 2023, we profile Dr Marian Rogers Croak. Dr Marian Rogers Croak is one of a few contemporary black inventors whose work has been...

On 17th October 2023 the European Patent Office (EPO) and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) published a report on a joint study into the impact patents and trademarks can have...

Our fourth article in our series of articles celebrating Black History Month shines a spotlight on the pioneering scientist and inventor, Dr Valerie Thomas.