UK: Actavis Group PTC EHF v. Pharmacia LLC, High Court of England and Wales, Chancery Division, Patents Court, HP14A01503, 11 July 2014

The English High Court (Arnold J.) has granted an application for a stay of the UK High Court proceedings to revoke the UK designation of an EP patent pending the outcome of opposition proceedings at the EPO. The decision is unusual as Arnold J had previously refused to stay the validity proceedings in this case on several grounds including the lengthy duration of the EPO proceedings. Following Arnold’s first decision dated 11 July 2014, Pharmacia offered two additional undertakings, which led Arnold J. to tip the balance in favour of a stay.

A full summary of this case has been published on Kluwer IP Law.