2025-07-31 - CD Milan - Novartis v. Zentiva - UPC_CFI_382/2025
- Aktenzeichen:
- UPC_CFI_382/2025
- Datum:
- Spruchkörper:
- Court of First Instance - Milan (IT) Central Division- Section
- Art:
- Order
- Parteien:
- Novartis AG v. ZENTIVA K.S., ZENTIVA PORTUGAL, LDA
Kernaussage: The Milan CD (JR Postiglione) awarded Novartis only EUR 3,000 of EUR 38,000 requested in costs for successfully opposing Zentiva's intervention application under R.
2025-07-31 - CD Milan - Novartis
v.
Zentiva - UPC_CFI_382/2025
notable
The Milan CD (JR Postiglione) awarded Novartis only EUR 3,000 of EUR 38,000 requested in costs for successfully opposing Zentiva's intervention application under R.313 RoP. The court established a comprehensive framework for cost proceedings: once the JR invokes R.156.1 RoP to request substantiation, equitable assessment is no longer available and full burden of proof applies. Novartis's submission of a sworn statement by in-house IP counsel summarizing total hours from five law firms — without attaching actual invoices — was held insufficient. The court further clarified that R.262A confidentiality protects information from third parties only, not from the court, and attorney billing data does not per se fall within the scope of trade secret protection unless it reveals financial capacity, commercial strategy, or patent valuation.