Summary

March 9, 2020
Photograph of an IV drip delivering a pharmaceutical to a patient in a hospital.

Contested Remicade Patent Will Head Back to Court in June

2020 FCA 30; 2020 FCA 31 – Janssen and Celltrion will return to court in June after the FCA overturned a lower court decision regarding a Remicade patent.
January 23, 2020
Photo of a judge's golden gavel in court.

How the Supreme Court’s New Standard of Review Will Impact IP

2019 SCC 65, 2019 SCC 66 - The new standard of review will be applied to decisions by the Patent Office, Trademark Office, PAB, and TTAB.
December 19, 2019

Fuel Tank Patents Limited by Patentee’s “Special Definition”

Fed. Cir. 2018-2087 - Plastic Omnium was unsuccessful in proving patent infringement because the patents used a "special definition" of the word "parison".
December 2, 2019
Photo of a laptop in the dark with the keyboard illuminated by the screen

TekSavvy Appeals Canada’s First Site-Blocking Order

2019 FC 1432 - TekSavvy appeals a recent site-blocking order against an illegitimate streaming service, claiming the order contravenes freedom of expression.
November 14, 2019
Photo of the interior of an airplane cabin, showing a row of seats.

Airbus Gets Another Shot at Patent for “Breathable Fire-Preventative” Air

Fed. Cir. 2019-1803 – CAFC sides with Airbus, finding that prior art references may be analogous even if they are outside the "field of endeavour."
October 28, 2019
Flax seeds (or linseeds)

Foreign Prosecution History is Now Admissible in “Extraordinary Circumstances”

2019 FC 1233 – In a dispute over flax seeds, Canada's Federal Court says foreign prosecution history may be admissible under the new s. 53.1 of the Patent Act.
October 11, 2019
Close up photo of an automotive hub cap and tire of a car.

Automotive Patent Overturned As “Monstrous” §101 Grows Another Head

CAFC 2018-1763 – In fiercely dissented decision, a top US court has invalidated an automotive patent, further extending the reach of the controversial §101.
September 20, 2019
Macro (close-up) photo of a hazel coloured human eye, eyelashes, and eyelid.

Allergan’s Glaucoma Patents Saved by “Wherein” Clauses

CAFC 2018-2207 – The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled that “wherein” clauses in patent claims can be limiting if they are material to patentability.
September 13, 2019
Fibre optic cable photographed in the dark

Patent Specification Interpreted as Admission of Common General Knowledge

2019 FC 1065 – Canada's Federal Court ruled that two fiber optics patents were obvious in light of an admission made in the background sections.
September 6, 2019
A Coke being poured from a plastic bottle into a glass with ice.

Pepsi Wins Squabble Over Scent-Releasing Trade Secrets

CAFC 2018-2091 – The Federal Circuit refused to grant lost profits and joint ownership to ScentSational Technologies for their scent-releasing bottle cap.
August 30, 2019
Woman rubs medicinal cream on her skin

Canadian Drug Pricing Regulator Ordered to Reconsider Differin

2019 FCA 196 – In an ongoing dispute between the PMPRB and Galderma, the FCA says the drug pricing regulator erred in its interpretation of the law.
August 16, 2019
A statue of Lady Justice.

US Supreme Court Lifts Ban on Profane Trademarks

SCOTUS, No. 18-302 (Iancu v Brunetti): In a recent decision, the US Supreme Court abolished the longstanding ban on registering vulgar and offensive words as trademarks.
July 18, 2019
Mail, Postal service

US Postal Service Prohibited from Challenging Mail Sorting Patent

SCOTUS blocked US Postal Service from using proceedings under the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (“AIA”) to avoid litigation and invalidate a US Patent.
July 11, 2019
SCOTUS, the supreme court of the United States

US Supreme Court Asked to Resolve “Fundamental State of Disorder” in the Patent System

A cybersecurity start-up is asking the US Supreme Court to take a bold stance on the judicial treatment of patents and fix the US patent system.
June 4, 2019
Pharmaceutical researcher in a laboratory

When Can New Uses for Known Drugs Be Patented?

Fed. Cir., 2018-1434 - CAFC clarifies the test for obviousness where the invention claims a use of a known drug.
May 28, 2019
A judge's gavel in front of the UK national flag

PCK IP Lawyers Instrumental in Client’s Defense of Patent Ownership

PCK IP Lawyers LLP represented Netsweeper in patent ownership dispute against Prosyscor in which Netsweeper was successful.
May 7, 2019
Abstract three-dimensional design resembling building blocks

Federal Circuit Reins in Impossible Standards for Antedating Prior Art

Fed. Cir., 2016-2222 - CAFC affirms that a patent may be successfully defended if the patent holder can prove that the invention was conceived prior to any similar prior art.
May 1, 2019
A banker's box filled with files containing evidence

Trademarks and New Evidence on Appeal

2019 FC 406 - FC confirms that registered owner is not precluded to submit new evidence on appeal if no evidence is submitted after receiving s.45 notice from the Registrar.
April 30, 2019
GUI on a computer monitor showing a stock performance

Stock Trading GUI Falls Short of Patentability Requirements in US

Fed. Cir. 2017-2257 - CAFC Reaffirms: GUI That Merely Collects and Displays Data Is Not Patentable
April 16, 2019
Photograph of stacks of coins

Canada Federal Court of Appeal Affirms Punitive Damages Award

2019 FCA 29 - Canada's FCA refuses to intervene in trial judge's decision with respect to punitive damages.