On 1 April 2016, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) upheld an
appeal by Merial, Merial Limited and Merial South Africa (Pty) Ltd
(Merial), against Cipla Vet (Pty) Ltd (Cipla). The SCA found
that Merial's patent was valid and infringed by Cipla's
Fiprotec product of which the active ingredients were manufactured
and imported from India. The SCA accordingly ordered Cipla to cease
all sales of Fiprotec, to deliver up all Fiprotec products to
Merial for destruction, to pay Merial's costs, and ordered an
enquiry into the damages suffered by Merial as a result of
Cipla's infringing conduct. The overall effect of the SCA's
decision thus being that Cipla had to cease all sales of Fiprotec
and deliver up all infringing products under its control to Merial
forthwith.