ARTICLE
4 December 2019

CAFC Holds "Substantially Equivalent" Method Has Written Description In Nalpropion v. Actavis

FH
Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP

Contributor

Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP is a law firm dedicated to advancing ideas, discoveries, and innovations that drive businesses around the world. From offices in the United States, Europe, and Asia, Finnegan works with leading innovators to protect, advocate, and leverage their most important intellectual property (IP) assets.
In Nalpropion Pharmaceuticals v. Actavis Laboratories FL, Inc., No. 2018-1221 (Fed. Cir. Aug. 15, 2019), the Federal Circuit reviewed whether a claim reciting a specific dissolution profile...
United States Food, Drugs, Healthcare, Life Sciences
Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP are most popular:
  • within Government, Public Sector, Litigation and Mediation & Arbitration topic(s)

In  Nalpropion Pharmaceuticals v. Actavis Laboratories FL, Inc., No. 2018-1221 (Fed. Cir. Aug. 15, 2019), the Federal Circuit reviewed whether a claim reciting a specific dissolution profile collected using the USP Apparatus 2 Paddle Method had written description support when the specification disclosed several tables of dissolution profile data collected using the USP Apparatus 1 Basket Method. The district court below found written description support based on the plaintiff's expert's statement that the claimed dissolution profile and the dissolution profile data in the specification in this particular case were "substantially equivalent." In finding no error to overturn the district court, the Federal Circuit noted that because the written description question in this particular case related to resultant dissolution parameters rather than an operative claim step, using substantial equivalence to show possession was acceptable.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

[View Source]

Mondaq uses cookies on this website. By using our website you agree to our use of cookies as set out in our Privacy Policy.

Learn More