2025-10-23 - CD Milan - bioMerieux v. Labrador Diagnostics - UPC_CFI_571/2024
- Aktenzeichen:
- UPC_CFI_571/2024
- Datum:
- Spruchkörper:
- Court of First Instance - Milan (IT) Central Division- Section
- Art:
- Decision
- Parteien:
- bioMérieux Benelux BV, bioMérieux SA, bioMérieux Deutschland GmbH, bioMérieux Portugal, Lda., bioMérieux Italia S.p.A., bioMérieux Austria GmbH v. Labrador Diagnostics LLC
Kernaussage: The Milan Central Division maintained EP 3 756 767 B1 in amended form (Auxiliary Request 3) after finding the Main Request and first two auxiliary requests invalid.
2025-10-23 - CD Milan - bioMerieux
v.
Labrador Diagnostics - UPC_CFI_571/2024
notable
The Milan Central Division maintained EP 3 756 767 B1 in amended form (Auxiliary Request 3) after finding the Main Request and first two auxiliary requests invalid. The Main Request and AR2 contained added matter (sample unit not claimed as part of device). AR1 lacked novelty over Clark (MEIA cartridge anticipated the second tip). AR3 survived: novel over Clark and VIDAS, inventive over Clark+Coassin, VIDAS+Chapman, and Tsuruta+Tominaga. The court developed an attack management framework under R. 104 RoP requiring ranking of ~50 attacks by likelihood of success.
Nichtigkeitsgründe
Art. 138 EPCNovelty
Partially invalid (this ground)Art. 54 EPC · Art. 138(1)(a) EPC
“Main Request and AR1 lack novelty over Clark (MEIA cartridge = second tip). AR3 novel — MEIA cartridge not pipette tip [6.1]-[6.12], [10.1]-[10.8].”
Inventive Step
Patent survived (this ground)Art. 56 EPC · Art. 138(1)(a) EPC
“AR3 inventive over Clark+Coassin, VIDAS+Chapman, Tsuruta+Tominaga [12.1]-[14.13].”
Added Matter
Patent invalid (this ground)Art. 123(2) EPC · Art. 138(1)(c) EPC
“Main Request and AR2 invalid — sample unit not part of device per Mother Application. AR3 cured [5.1]-[5.4], [8.1]-[8.11].”
Insufficiency of Disclosure
Patent survived (this ground)Art. 83 EPC · Art. 138(1)(b) EPC
“First and second means clearly distinguished in description [15.1]-[15.4].”