JUVE Comment

The patent practice of this national full-service firm enjoys an exceptional reputation for litigating life sciences cases, with highlights including work for Bristol Myers Squibb and Teoxane. Pharma clients frequently benefit from the team’s in-depth expertise in SPCs. Gide was again active in various proceedings against the French patent office (INPI) concerning rejected SPCs, for example for Janssen, Boehringer Ingelheim’s veterinary medicine division, and Ono Pharmaceutical. After Genmab was refused several SPCs for a cancer treatment, the company instructed the team to prepare a long-term strategy to bring the case to the CJEU through a referral initiated from France. This expertise in pharma and life sciences has recently led to instructions from new clients.

The practice also gained a foothold in the telecoms sector, where new client ASSIA retained Emmanuel Larere for the appeal against Orange and Nokia. Furthermore, it is regularly active for clients from other sectors, with industry clients like Vallourec and automotive clients like Minebea. The firm is strategically positioning itself in French proceedings, for example by litigating one of the first appeals against a decision of the INPI in an opposition for client Tinnus/Zuru, which is now pending before the Supreme Court.

In addition, the extensive representation of Meril Life Sciences in the UPC case against Edwards Lifesciences has led new clients from the pharma and telecom sectors to retain the team for the preparation of UPC proceedings.

The practice successfully develops new talent, as demonstrated by the recent promotion of a new counsel at the beginning of the year and the increasing visibility of counsel Marie-Ange Pozzo di Borgo, praised by a competitor as “highly competent and enjoyable to work with”.

Strengths

Litigation for drug manufacturers in pharma cases, often involving SPCs.

Recommended individuals

Jean-Hyacinthe de Mitry (“very calm, engaged and experienced”, competitor), Raphaëlle Dequiré-Portier, (“best in her field”, competitor) Emmanuel Larere (“highly skilled litigator and very precise”, competitor)

Team

14 lawyers

Clients

Litigation: ASSIA against Orange and Nokia over telecom patents; Bristol Myers Squibb against Teva in revocation action over SPC for apixaban (withdrawn); Tinnus against Koopman opposition appeal over device for filling water balloons; Ono Pharmaceutical and Tasuku Honjo in appeal against INPI over SPCs; Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica against INPI over SPC; Teoxane against Fill-Med/Filorga over hyaluronic acid gel; Teoxane against Vivacy over aesthetic medicine; Minebea/U-Shin against Akwel over automotive components; Genmab against INPI in appeals over SPCs; Meril Life Sciences against Edwards Lifesciences over heart valves.