MACLEODS PHARMACEUTICALS LTD vs THE CONTROLLER OF PATENTS & ANR.

Judgment text excerpt

* IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI % Judgment Reserved on: 29.11.2024 Judgment pronounced on: 15.01.2025 I.A. 7635/2024 and I.A. 46685/2024 IN + C.O.(COMM.IPD-PAT) 38/2022 MACLEODS PHARMACEUTICALS LTD .....Petitioner Through: Mr. G. Nataraj and Mr. Rahul Bhujbal and Mr. Yash Raj, Advocates versus THE CONTROLLER OF PATENTS & ANR. .....Respondents Through: Mr. Sandeep Sethi, Sr. Adv. with Dr. Sanjay Kumar, Ms. Arpita Sawhney, Ms. Meenal Khurana, Ms. Pallavi Kiran, Mr. Arun Kumar Jana, Mr. Priyansh Sharma, Ms. Pratiksha Varshney, Mr. Sumer Seth and Ms. Riya Kumar, Advocates for R-2. CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE AMIT BANSAL JUDGMENT AMIT BANSAL, J. I.A. 7635/2024 (under Section 151 of CPC) I.A. 46685/2024 (under Section 151 of CPC) 1. The captioned applications have been filed by the respondent no.2 seeking dismissal of the present petition. Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed C.O.(COMM.IPD-PAT) 38/2022 Page 1 of 14 By:KOMAL DHAWAN Signing Date:15.01.2025 12:45:57 2. The following issues arise for adjudication in the two applications: (i) Whether a revocation petition can be held to be not maintainable if the petitioner has filed a written statement, taking a defence of invalidity of the suit patent under Section 107 of the Patents Act, in an infringement suit filed by the patentee. (ii) Whether a revocation petition can be filed or sustained (if already filed) after the expiry of the term of the patent. PREFATORY FACTS 3. The petitioner, Macleods Pharmaceuticals Ltd., is engaged in manufacturing and marketing of diverse pharmaceutical products including anti-diabetic drugs. 4. The respondent no. 2, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, is a company organized and existing under the laws of Germany. It is engaged in the business of developing, manufacturing and