IPTimes.Law: May 2021 Issue

PATENTS

The High Court of Delhi Directs the Controller to Expedite the Pre-Grant Opposition Proceedings¹

Natco Pharma, one of the Petitioners in the present matter ("Petitioner"), filed a Pre-Grant Opposition ("Opposition"), in respect of a Patent Application filed by Novartis AG ("Respondent"). Instead of allowing the request of the Petitioner to cross examine the three expert witnesses whose evidence was filed by the Respondent during the Opposition Proceedings, the Controller of Patents ("Controller") reserved the order based on the merits. Thus, the aggrieved Petitioner approached the High Court of Delhi ("Court") through a writ petition.

The Court directed the Controller that opportunity be given to Petitioner to cross examine the three expert witnesses whose evidence had been filed by the Respondent during the Opposition Proceedings.