The Federal Circuit issued two patent law decisions today. In the first, the court reversed a judgment of infringement against the manufacturer of a generic alternative to Pfizer’s Norvasc, which treats hypertension and angina. After a bench trial, the district court rejected the defendant’s "obviousness" defense, but the Federal Circuit disagreed, holding as a matter of law that obviousness of the invention rendered the patent invalid. Pfizer, Inc. v. Apotex, Inc., No. 06-1261 (Fed. Cir. Mar. 22, 2007).
The other opinion affirmed a summary judgment in which the district court deemed two patents invalid on grounds of "enablement" and "anticipation". The patents concerned syringes. Liebel-Flarsheim Co. v. Medrad, Inc., Nos. 06-1156 & 06-1157 (Fed. Cir. Mar. 22, 2007).
Barry Barnett
