Case Reports
UPC Case Reports
Scripps mRNA reengineering patent found invalid and not infringed by Comirnaty
08 September 2026
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.
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UPC
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Infringement
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Novelty
Fujifilm v Kodak: clarifying the defence of dependent claims and inventive-step combinations at the UPC
27 August 2026
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.
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UPC
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Appeal
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EPO
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Inventive step
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Revocation
Orders to Produce Evidence at the UPC
19 August 2026
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.
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UPC
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Disclosure
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Evidence (general)
Replacement parts and the value of asserting a narrower claim combination
17 July 2026
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.
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UPC
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Infringement
Late Applications for Provisional Measures Refused for Lack of Urgency
14 July 2026
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.
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UPC
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Provisional injunction
UPC revokes provisional injunction on motorbike helmet intercoms system
29 June 2026
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.
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UPC
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Infringement
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Provisional injunction
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Doctrine of Equivalents
Preliminary objection on jurisdiction partially successful – UPC clarifies requirements of anchor-defendant jurisdiction for non-UPC territories
25 June 2026
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.
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UPC
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Preliminary objection
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Jurisdiction
UPC applies party-driven equivalence test in absence of Court of Appeal guidance
25 June 2026
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.
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UPC
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Revocation
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Doctrine of Equivalents
Prosecution history in claim interpretation at the EPO
10 June 2026
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.
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UPC
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Claim interpretation
Revocation of an order to inspect and preserve evidence as Applicant did not start proceedings on the merits, R. 198.1 RoP
09 June 2026
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.
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UPC
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Preservation of evidence
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Revocation
UPC Court of Appeal reverses infringement ruling in both Germany and UK
05 June 2026
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.
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UPC
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Appeal
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Jurisdiction
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Infringement
UPC finds infringement of two motorcycle tyres patents following international exhibition
05 June 2026
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.
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UPC
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Infringement
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Revocation
Closest Prior Art Not Quite Close Enough
29 May 2026
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.
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UPC
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Inventive step
Transfer of costs application from Court of Appeal to Court of First Instance rejected
22 April 2026
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.
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UPC
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Costs
Revocation of an independent claim does not automatically affect the validity of unchallenged dependent claims
21 April 2026
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.
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Revocation
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Added subject matter
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Amendments
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UPC
Other Case Reports
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Stepping through Alice’s looking glass: Sir Anthony Mann considers the purpose of DNI actions and unlikely payments of renewal fees
17 January 2023
Lisa Dräxlmaier GmbH v BOS GmbH & Co KG [2022] EWHC 2823 (Pat)Background The claimant (Dräxlmaier) sought a declaration of non-infringement under s.71 of the Patents Act (s.
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The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) publishes its decision on Meta’s legal basis for its use of personalised adverts
16 January 2023
SummaryOn 12 January 2023, the EDPB published its decision (which was actually made on 5 December 2022) (the "Decision") on the dispute between the Irish Data Protection Commissioner (IDPC) and a...
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Digital
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Commercial IP
Court of Appeal refuses Arrow declaratory relief for Teva in a stand against forum shopping and jurisdictional overreach
12 January 2023
Teva v Novartis [2022] EWCA Civ 1617The fingolimod saga continues between Teva and Novartis. In a hearing dated 28 November 2022 before Arnold, Nugee, and Floyd LLJ, Teva appealed the decision of...
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Litigation
Vernacare Limited v Moulded Fibre Products Limited [2022] EWHC 2197 (IPEC)
30 December 2022
BackgroundThe Claimant, Vernacare Limited ("Vernacare"), and the Defendant, Moulded Fibre Products Limited ("MFP"), both manufacture and sell washbowls, which are made from moulded paper pulp as used...
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Elements
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Litigation
Novartis overloaded with reasons its iron overload treatment Exjade is obvious and not infringed by Teva
19 December 2022
Teva v Novartis [2022] EWHC 2847 (Pat)In another patent revocation and infringement counterclaim action between Teva and Novartis, in this instance involving a swallowable tablet version of...
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Litigation
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Life
Banksy isn’t monkeying around when it comes to EU trade marks
14 December 2022
BackgroundPest Control Office Limited (the "EUTM proprietor"), on behalf of Banksy, sought to register the figurative mark of a monkey wearing a sign (figure 1) in a number of categories, including...
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Trademarking
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Litigation
Kigen v Thales: Can an implementer bring a stand-alone claim for FRAND determination?
12 December 2022
BackgroundKigen (UK) Limited is a company which produces software relating to eSIM and iSIMs technology. Thales Dis France SA (also known as Gemalto SA) is a manufacturer of electronic systems and...
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SEP Analysis
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Litigation
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Digital
Intellectual property key UK strength in global semiconductor supply chain – Select Committee Report
05 December 2022
A group of influential MPs from the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)Select Committee has released its Report on the semiconductor industry in the UK.
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Patent Strategy
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Digital
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Patenting
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Elements
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Ampliphy
AU VODKA LIMITED v NE10 VODKA LIMITED & LEON HOGAN
24 November 2022
Heard by Mr Justice Mellor on 16 September 2022 AU Vodka Ltd v NE10 Vodka Ltd & Anor [2022] EWHC 2371 (Ch) (21 September 2022) (bailii.org) Article written by Alona Andrieieva, qualified Ukrainian...
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Trademarking
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Litigation
Alleged copyright infringement in the famous love story that inspired Doctor Zhivago
17 November 2022
BackgroundAnna Pasternak ("Pasternak") is the Claimant and author of Lara: The Untold Love Story That Inspired Doctor Zhivago ("Lara"). Lara is a non-fiction, historical book that was published in...
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Litigation
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Commercial IP
Two giants in the energy drinks game go head-to-head in trademark dispute
12 October 2022
Monster Energy appealed a decision refusing Monster's application to register the mark ‘Red Dawg' .At the original hearing Red Bull had opposed registration of the mark and had made out a successful...
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Trademarking
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Litigation
Damages pull into the station for Geofabrics
11 October 2022
Charlotte May KC recently handed down a comparatively rare judgment, for the Patents Court, in respect of a damages enquiry for infringement of Geofabrics' railway related patent by Fiberweb in...
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Litigation
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Digital
UKIPO Case Studies Open the Black Box on Examining Patent Applications Relating to AI Inventions
26 September 2022
On 22 September 2022, the United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office (IPO) published Enhanced Guidance on Examining Patent Applications Relating to Artificial Intelligence (AI) Inventions (referred...
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Digital
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Patenting
Significant inventions that have gone under the mainstream radar
20 September 2022
Powering KipchogeMost people interested in sports will be aware of Project 1.59 – Eluid Kipchoge's 2019 first sub-2 hour marathon. Technology played a significant part; he had an arrow-shaped...
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HealthTech
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Life
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Patenting
The WaterRower managed to row back from being struck out
25 August 2022
In the recent strike out application heard on 28 July 2022, Waterrower (UK) Limited v Liking Limited (T/A Topiom) [2022] EWHC 2084 (IPEC), David Stone, sitting as deputy high court judge, considered...
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Litigation
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Commercial IP
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