UPC_CFI_145/2024; UPC_CFI_146/2024; UPC_CFI_147/2024; UPC_CFI_148/2024; UPC_CFI_374/2024; UPC_CFI_463/2024; UPC_CFI_496/2024; UPC_CFI_503/2024 – Sanofi v Accord and others
- Court
- Local Division Munich
- Date
- Sector
- Pharma/Bio
- Decision Type
- PROCEDURAL
Expert Commentary
Dates for interim conference and oral argument Decision The presiding judge sets dates for the interim conference (by video) on 25 July 2025 and oral argument for 14-17 October 2025. Comment In this case with multiple generic defendants, it shows good case management to set the dates for the interim conference and the oral hearing very early, to ensure that parties cannot argue that they cannot make it! In general: the earlier these dates are scheduled, the more certain it is that cases are decided within 12-14 months.
Full Decision Text
Procedural Order of the Court of First Instance of the Unified Patent Court Local Division Munich issued on 24 January 2025 CLAIMANTS 1) Sanofi SA as successor of Sanofi Mature IP 2) Sanofi Winthrop Industrie 3) Sanofi Winthrop Industrie as successor of Sanofi-Aventis France (not a party in UPC_CFI 145/2024) 4) Sanofi-Aventis GmbH 5) Sanofi Belgium 6) Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH 7) Sanofi S.r.l. 8) Sanofi B.V. 9) Sanofi - Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda 10) Sanofi AB 11) Sanofi A/S represented by: Frédéric Chevallier (Herbert Smith Freehills). Local Division Munich UPC_CFI_145/2024 UPC_CFI_146/2024 UPC_CFI_147/2024 UPC_CFI_148/2024 UPC_CFI_374/2024 UPC_CFI_463/2024 UPC_CFI_496/2024 UPC_CFI_503/2024 UPC_CFI_145/2024 UPC_CFI_146/2024 UPC_CFI_147/2024 UPC_CFI_148/2024 UPC_CFI_374/2024 UPC_CFI_463/2024 UPC_CFI_496/2024 UPC_CFI_503/2024 2 DEFENDANTS – UPC_CFI_145/2024 1) Accord Healthcare S.L.U. 2) Accord Healthcare GmbH (AT) 3) Accord Healthcare BV 4) Accord Healthcare GmbH (DE) 5) Accord Healthcare Italia Srl 6) Accord Healthcare B.V. 7) Accord Healthcare, Unipessoal Lda. 8) Accord Healthcare AB represented by: Jules Fabre, Arjan Reijns, Louise Millot (Pinsent Mason). DEFENDANTS – UPC_CFI_146/2024 1) STADAPHARM GmbH 2) STADA Arzneimittel AG 3) STADA Nordic ApS represented by: Daniel Hoppe (Bonabry). DEFENDANTS – UPC_CFI_147/2024 1) Reddy Pharma SAS 2) betapharm Arzneimittel GmbH 3) Dr Reddy's Srl represented by: Dr. Christian Meyer (Maiwald) Dr. Andreas Ledl (Maiwald). DEFENDANTS – UPC_CFI_148/2024 1) Zentiva France 2) Zentiva Pharma GmbH 3) Zentiva, k.s. represented by: Dr. Anja Lunze (Taylor Wessing) Dr. Elisabeth Greiner (df-mp). PATENT AT ISSUE European patent n° 2 493 466 PANEL/DIVISION Panel 1 of the Local Division Munich UPC_CFI_145/2024 UPC_CFI_146/2024 UPC_CFI_147/2024 UPC_CFI_148/2024 UPC_CFI_374/2024 UPC_CFI_463/2024 UPC_CFI_496/2024 UPC_CFI_503/2024 3 DECIDING JUDGE/S This order has been issued by the Presiding Judge Dr. Matthias Zigann acting as judge- rapporteur. LANGUAGE OF THE PROCEEDINGS English SUBJECT-MATTER OF THE PROCEEDINGS Scheduling of Interim Conference and Oral Hearing for Counterclaims ORDER 1. The date of the Interim Conference by videoconference is set for 17 July 2025, 10.00 a.m. 2. The dates for the oral hearings in person at Denisstr. 3 in Munich are set for 14-17 October 2025, 9.00 a.m. 3. The Interim Conference and the Oral Hearing will be held together, unless confidentiality issues arise. INFORMATION ABOUT REVIEW BY PANEL Any party may request that this Order be referred to the panel for a review pursuant to R. 333 RoP. Pending review, the Order shall be effective (R. 102.2 RoP). INFORMATION ABOUT ORAL HEARING HELD IN COURT The oral hearing shall be open to the public unless the Court decides to make it, to the extent necessary, confidential in the interests of one or both parties or third parties or in the general interest of justice or public order (R. 115 RoP). INFORMATION ABOUT AUDIO RECORDING The oral hearing shall be audio recorded. The recording shall be made available at the premises of the Court to the parties or their representatives after the oral hearing (R. 115 RoP). INFORMATION ABOUT ABSENCE OR DELAY OF A REPRESENTATIVE A decision by default may be given, upon request, against a party that was duly summoned but fails to appear at the oral hearing (R. 355.1 (b) RoP. INFORMATION ABOUT DECISION BY DEFAULT Should a party fail to comply with the present Order within the time period specified, a decision by default may be given in accordance with R. 355 RoP (R. 103.1, last subparagraph and .2 RoP). UPC_CFI_145/2024 UPC_CFI_146/2024 UPC_CFI_147/2024 UPC_CFI_148/2024 UPC_CFI_374/2024 UPC_CFI_463/2024 UPC_CFI_496/2024 UPC_CFI_503/2024 4 INFORMATION ABOUT AUDIO RECORDING The oral hearing and the interim conference shall be recorded on audiotape / videotape. The recording shall be made available at the premises of the Court to the parties or their representatives after the interim conference (R. 106 RoP). DETAILS OF THE ORDER Order no. ORD_68853/2024 in ACTION NUMBER: ACT_16119/2024 UPC number: UPC_CFI_374/2024 Action type: Infringement Action Order no. ORD_68850/2024 in ACTION NUMBER: ACT_16112/2024 UPC number: UPC_CFI_463/2024 Action type: Infringement Action Order no. ORD_68851/2024 in ACTION NUMBER: ACT_16116/2024 UPC number: UPC_CFI_496/2024 Action type: Infringement Action Order no. ORD_68846/2024 in ACTION NUMBER: ACT_16120/2024 UPC number: UPC_CFI_503/2024 Action type: Infringement Action Dr. Zigann Presiding Judge
Key Holdings
- The presiding judge sets early dates for the interim conference and oral argument.
- Early scheduling is good case management, especially in cases with multiple defendants.
- Setting dates early ensures parties cannot claim unavailability.
- Early scheduling contributes to cases being decided within the 12-14 month target.
Tags
- Case Management
- Interim Measures
- Oral Hearing
- Time Limits