throbber
Case 1:14-cv-01453-LPS Document 61 Filed 12/23/15 Page 1 of 15 PageID #: 1803
`
`IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
`FOR THE DISTRICT OF DELAWARE
`
`
`MEDA PHARMACEUTICALS INC. and
`CIPLA LTD.,
`
`
`
`
`)
`)
`)
`)
`)
`C.A. No. 14-1453-LPS
`)
`
`)
`)
`)
`)
`
`
`
`
`
`Plaintiffs,
`
`v.
`
`
`APOTEX INC. and APOTEX CORP.,
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Defendants.
`
`
`
`PLAINTIFFS MEDA AND CIPLA’S RESPONSIVE
`CLAIM CONSTRUCTION BRIEF
`
`Steven J. Balick (#2114)
`John G. Day (#2403)
`Andrew C. Mayo (#5207)
`ASHBY & GEDDES
`500 Delaware Ave., 8th Floor
`P.O. Box 1150
`Wilmington, DE 19899
`(302) 654-1888
`sbalick@ashby-geddes.com
`jday@ashby-geddes.com
`amayo@ashby-geddes.com
`
`Attorneys for Plaintiffs
`Meda Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Cipla Ltd.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Of Counsel:
`
`H. Keeto Sabharwal
`Dennies Varughese
`Uma N. Everett
`Rami Bardenstein
`Dallin G. Glenn
`Joshua I. Miller
`Josephine J. Kim
`STERNE, KESSLER, GOLDSTEIN &
` FOX P.L.L.C.
`1100 New York Ave., N.W., Suite 800
`Washington, DC 20005-3934
`(202) 371-2600
`
`Dated: December 23, 2015
`
`
`{01073185;v1 }
`
`
`
`

`
`Case 1:14-cv-01453-LPS Document 61 Filed 12/23/15 Page 2 of 15 PageID #: 1804
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`
`INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1 
`
`ARGUMENT ...................................................................................................................... 2 
`
`I. 
`
`“[C]ondition(s)” Means “disease(s) or illness(es) resulting in or causing allergic
`reaction(s)” .............................................................................................................. 2 
`
`A. 
`
`B. 
`
`Apotex’s Proposed Construction Disregards the Specification’s
`Description of the Invention ....................................................................... 2 
`
`Apotex’s Construction Incorrectly Expands the Scope of the Claims to
`Include Myriad Diseases Outside of the Patent .......................................... 4 
`
`II. 
`
`“[A]dministration” should be given its plain and ordinary meaning ...................... 6 
`
`A. 
`
`B. 
`
`The Claims of the ’620 and ’723 Patents are Limited to Single
`Formulation for Simultaneous Administration ........................................... 7 
`
`The Prosecution History Prohibits Apotex’s Overly Broad Interpretation
`of the Scope of the Claims of the ’620 and ’723 Patents ............................ 9 
`
`CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................. 11 
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`{01073185;v1 }
`
`
`
` i
`
`

`
`Case 1:14-cv-01453-LPS Document 61 Filed 12/23/15 Page 3 of 15 PageID #: 1805
`
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
`
`Cases
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
` Page(s)
`
`Acumed LLC v. Stryker Corp.,
`483 F.3d 800 (Fed. Cir. 2007)................................................................................................. 10
`
`Chimie v. PPG Indus., Inc.,
`402 F.3d 1371 (Fed. Cir. 2005)............................................................................................... 10
`
`In re Paulsen,
`30 F.3d 1475 (Fed. Cir. 1994)................................................................................................... 8
`
`Novo Nordisk of N. Am. v. Genentech, Inc.,
`77 F.3d 1364 (Fed. Cir. 1996)................................................................................................... 8
`
`Nystrom v. Trex Co., Inc.,
`424 F.3d 1136 (Fed. Cir. 2005)................................................................................................. 3
`
`Thorner v. Sony Computer Entm’t Am. LLC,
`669 F.3d 1362 (Fed. Cir. 2012)................................................................................................. 9
`
`Trading Techs. Int’l Inc. v. eSpeed, Inc.,
`595 F.3d 1340 (Fed. Cir. 2010)................................................................................................. 9
`
`Verizon Servs. Corp. v. Vonage Holdings Corp.,
`503 F.3d 1295 (Fed. Cir. 2007)................................................................................................. 2
`
`
`
`
`
` ii
`
`{01073185;v1 }
`
`
`
`

`
`Case 1:14-cv-01453-LPS Document 61 Filed 12/23/15 Page 4 of 15 PageID #: 1806
`
`INTRODUCTION
`
`In their opening Brief (“Pl. Br.”), Plaintiffs demonstrated that their constructions of
`
`condition(s) and administration follow the terms’ plain and ordinary meaning, according to the
`
`context of the patents-in-suit, U.S. Patent Nos. 8,163,723 and 8,168,620. Plaintiffs established
`
`that “condition(s)” means “disease(s) or illness(es) resulting in or causing allergic reaction(s),”
`
`relying on the specification’s consistent description. The main purpose of the patents-in-suit and
`
`scope of the invention is to prevent or minimize “[a]llergic reactions.” And for “administration,”
`
`Plaintiffs established that the term should be accorded its plain and ordinary meaning, which is
`
`“application” or “to apply,” because nothing in the intrinsic record modifies the governing plain
`
`and ordinary meaning.
`
`Apotex has not refuted Plaintiffs’ positions. Instead, Apotex’s opening brief (“Ap. Br.”)
`
`is no more than attorney argument that ignores both the patents’ express teachings and the
`
`amendments the patentees made during the prosecution of these patents. Apotex’s construction
`
`of “condition(s)” includes many diseases that are unrelated to allergic reactions, such as “motion
`
`sickness, ulcerative stomatitis, bee stings, snake bites, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus,” and many
`
`more unrelated diseases. (Ap. Br. at 3-4.) These “other” diseases have nothing to do with the
`
`patents—or with its teachings pertaining to nasal administration. And Apotex’s construction of
`
`“administration” is equally flawed. It seeks to import into the claims limitations (separate and
`
`sequential use) that were expressly removed from the scope of the issued claims of the patents-
`
`in-suit during prosecution.
`
`As mentioned in Plaintiffs’ opening Brief, Apotex’s motive is transparent: under the
`
`guise of “claim construction,” Apotex seeks to expand the overall scope of the claimed
`
`inventions to bolster their non-infringement and invalidity strategies. But the time for that is at
`
`{01073185;v1 }
`
`
`
` 1
`
`

`
`Case 1:14-cv-01453-LPS Document 61 Filed 12/23/15 Page 5 of 15 PageID #: 1807
`
`trial, not by advancing unsupported claim constructions for terms that are clear on their face and
`
`readily understood.
`
`ARGUMENT
`
`I.
`
`“[C]ondition(s)” means “disease(s) or illness(es) resulting in or causing allergic
`reaction(s)”
`
`Term
`
`Plaintiffs’ Construction
`
`Apotex’s Construction
`
`condition(s)
`
`disease(s) or illness(es) resulting
`in or causing allergic reaction(s)
`
`Plain and ordinary meaning.
`To the extent that the Court determines
`that this term requires construction,
`Apotex proposes the following
`construction: “disease(s) or illness(es).”
`
`A.
`
`Apotex’s Proposed Construction Disregards the Specification’s Description
`of the Invention
`
`Plaintiffs’ opening Brief established, and Apotex has not refuted, that the patents’
`
`specification explicitly defines the invention consistent with Plaintiffs’ construction: “the present
`
`invention relates to pharmaceutical products and formulations useful for preventing or
`
`minimising [sic] allergic reactions.” (Pl. Br. at 9.) And this description is dispositive: “[w]hen a
`
`patent thus describes the features of the ‘present invention’ as a whole, this description limits the
`
`scope of the invention.” Verizon Servs. Corp. v. Vonage Holdings Corp., 503 F.3d 1295, 1308
`
`(Fed. Cir. 2007) (emphasis added). Plaintiffs’ opening Brief confirmed that this description,
`
`coupled with the contextual use of “condition(s)” in the claims, limits the scope of the invention
`
`to allergic reactions, and does not extend to other diseases or illnesses. (Pl. Br. at 9-11.)
`
`Apotex’s interpretation of “condition(s)” noticeably retreats from the specification’s
`
`teachings and, indeed, fails to even acknowledge the portions of the specification which recite
`
`this present invention. Remarkably, however, Apotex acknowledges “[t]he patentee … ‘is not
`
`entitled to a claim construction divorced from the context of the written description and
`
`{01073185;v1 }
`
`
`
` 2
`
`

`
`Case 1:14-cv-01453-LPS Document 61 Filed 12/23/15 Page 6 of 15 PageID #: 1808
`
`prosecution history’” (Ap. Br. at 12 (quoting Nystrom v. Trex Co., Inc., 424 F.3d 1136, 1144-45
`
`(Fed. Cir. 2005)), but then violates this prohibition. Similarly, Apotex attacks Plaintiffs’
`
`construction of the other term in dispute (“administration,” discussed below) stating “[p]laintiffs’
`
`proposed construction … ignores the clear description of the term throughout the prosecution
`
`history and specification.” (Ap. Br. at 12.) Yet, this is precisely what Apotex’s proposed
`
`construction of “condition(s)” does—it ignores, indeed disregards, the dispositive intrinsic
`
`evidence limiting the diseases to which the invention applies, and not to other random unrelated
`
`conditions such as “snake bites,” “rheumatoid arthritis,” and many others that Apotex suggests as
`
`discussed in the next section.
`
`Apotex’s attempts to undermine Plaintiffs’ construction are unavailing. Apotex argues
`
`that Sujeet Rajan—who submitted a declaration on behalf of the patentee during prosecution—
`
`stated that the invention includes “management of symptoms of … non-allergic vasomotor
`
`rhinitis.” (Ap. Br. at 15 (emphasis added).) Apotex also states that “rhinitis may be caused by
`
`allergic, non-allergic, infectious, hormonal, occupational, and other factors.” (Id. at 16.) But each
`
`of these conditions are covered by the patents.
`
`Indeed, the patents’ specification expressly includes these condition(s) in its definition of
`
`allergic reactions. The patent states, “allergic reactions commonly comprise the allergy-
`
`related and vasomotor-related symptoms and the rhinovirus-related symptoms.” ’723 patent,
`
`1:26-28 (emphases added). Thus, the specification defines “allergic reactions” as a function of
`
`common symptoms that would have been familiar to a person of ordinary skill in the art,1
`
`whether those symptoms arise from an allergy-related etiology (e.g., allergic rhinitis) or non-
`
`
`1 Plaintiffs note that Apotex’s opening Brief does not include any discussion of
`the relevant level of skill in the art.
`
`{01073185;v1 }
`
`
`
` 3
`
`

`
`Case 1:14-cv-01453-LPS Document 61 Filed 12/23/15 Page 7 of 15 PageID #: 1809
`
`allergy-related etiology (e.g., vasomotor or rhinovirus infection). Dr. Rajan’s statement explicitly
`
`related to symptoms. And Plaintiffs’ construction is wholly consistent with the patents’ teaching:
`
`disease(s) or illness(es) resulting in (which would include non-allergic etiology) or causing
`
`(allergic etiology) allergic reactions (the symptoms). Asthma—another condition that Apotex
`
`asserts is “non-allergic”—may fall under either allergic or non-allergic etiologies, but its
`
`symptoms are allergic reactions. (See Ap. Br. at 16 (“inflammatory conditions of the nose, throat,
`
`lungs such as asthma (including allergen-induced asthmatic reactions)” (emphasis added).)
`
`And, in any event, Apotex has not explained how these closely related condition(s) that
`
`result in common allergic reactions (or “symptoms”) justifies Apotex’s attempt to include other
`
`entirely different condition(s) into the claims, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.
`
`B.
`
`Apotex’s Construction Incorrectly Expands the Scope of the Claims to
`Include Myriad Diseases Outside of the Patent
`
`The parties appear to agree on the general understanding of the word “condition(s)” as
`
`being “disease(s) or illness(es),” as that phrase appears in both Plaintiffs’ and Apotex’s proposed
`
`constructions. There’s no dispute, it seems, that “condition(s)” is synonymous with “disease(s).”
`
`The real dispute, however, is over which specific diseases or illnesses are properly included
`
`within the scope of the claims at issue in this case. As discussed above, Plaintiffs submit that the
`
`patented invention relates only to those diseases or illnesses resulting in or causing allergic
`
`reactions. Those conditions are what the inventors sought to treat, and they are the only ailments
`
`that the inventions are intended to cover.
`
`Apotex’s position that the ’620 and ’723 patent claims include various other diseases or
`
`illnesses unrelated to those resulting in or causing allergic reactions is belied by the specification
`
`and prosecution history. For example, Apotex suggests that bee stings, snake bites, ulcerative
`
`stomatitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus (just to name a few) are all diseases or illnesses that
`
`{01073185;v1 }
`
`
`
` 4
`
`

`
`Case 1:14-cv-01453-LPS Document 61 Filed 12/23/15 Page 8 of 15 PageID #: 1810
`
`fall within the scope of Apotex’s construction of “condition(s).” (Ap. Br. at 3-4.) But treatment
`
`of these other diseases or illnesses is not even mentioned, let alone described, by the patents’
`
`written description or prosecution history. And Apotex’s own struggle to support and reconcile
`
`this unworkable construction is readily apparent in its Brief. For example, at pages 13-14 of its
`
`Brief, Apotex provides a page-long list of nearly a dozen third party literature references,
`
`purportedly from the “intrinsic record,” to demonstrate that the term condition(s) is synonymous
`
`with illness(es) and disease(s), but each one expressly relates to allergic rhinitis as the condition,
`
`not any other disease.2
`
`Apotex appears to scour the intrinsic record trying to find any evidence to show that the
`
`patent covers conditions beside “allergic reactions.” Review of Apotex’s evidence, however,
`
`
`2 Ap. Br. at 13-14 (“See, the ‘723 patent claim 8 (‘wherein said condition is allergic
`rhinitis’); see also Schmidt, M. W., ‘The new topical steroid ciclesonide is effective in the
`treatment of allergic rhinitis,’ Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 1999, vol. 39, pp. 1062-1069,
`JCC Ex. 36, D.I. 43-13 (‘Allergic rhinitis is a common disease...’); Nielsen, et al., ‘Intranasal
`corticosteroids for allergic rhinitis: superior relief?’ Drugs, 2001, vol. 61, No. 11, pp. 1563-
`1579, JCC Ex. 56, D.I. 43-16 (‘Allergic rhinitis is a common condition...Although allergic
`rhinitis is not a life-threatening disease, it can severely impact on quality of life...’); Galant, S.,
`et al., ‘Clinical Prescribing of Allergic Rhinitis Medication in the Preschool and Young School-
`Age Child, What are the Options?,’ BioDrugs2001, vol. 15, No. 7, pp. 453-463, ADIS
`International Ltd., JCC Ex. 39, D.I. 43-13 (‘Allergic rhinitis (AR) is currently the most common
`of all chronic conditions in children. The disease can be classified as seasonal or perennial,
`depending on when the child appears to have symptoms most predominantly.’) see also, Baena-
`Cagnani, C., ‘Safety and Tolerability of Treatments for Allergic Rhinitis in Children,’ Drug
`Safety 2004, vol. 27, No. 12, pp. 883-898, ADIS Data Information BV, JCC Ex. 40, D.I. 43-13;
`Gawchik, et al., ‘Comparison of intranasal triamcinolone acetonide with oral loratadine in the
`treatment of seasonal ragweed-induced allergic rhinitis,’ Am. J. Man. Care, 1997, vol. 3, No. 7,
`pp. 1052-1058, JCC Ex. 42, D.I. 43-14; Database Medline Online! US National Library of
`Medicine (NLM), Bethesda, MD, US: 2000 Portmann D et al: Acceptability of local treatment of
`allergic rhinitis with a combination of a corticoid (beclomethasone) and an antihistaminic
`(azelastine); vol. 121, No. 4, 2000, pp. 273-279, Abstract. JCC Ex. 29, D.I. 43-11; and Salib
`Rami Jean, et al., ‘Safety and Tolerability Profiles of Intranasal Antihistamines and Intranasal
`Corticosteroids in the Treatment of Allergic Rhinitis,’ Drug Safety 2003, vol. 26, No. 12, pp.
`863-893, ADIS Data Information BV, JCC Ex. 57, D.I. 43-16.”) (internal Bates numbering
`omitted).
`{01073185;v1 }
`
` 5
`
`
`
`

`
`Case 1:14-cv-01453-LPS Document 61 Filed 12/23/15 Page 9 of 15 PageID #: 1811
`
`reveals not only that their argument fails, but also that Apotex’s alleged “support” actually
`
`supports Plaintiffs’ position. Apotex says the specification states that steroids “will suppress
`
`nasal and ocular inflammatory conditions” which are not necessarily related to “allergic
`
`conditions.” (Ap. Br. at 15). However, Apotex was careful to omit the immediately preceding
`
`sentence, which confirms that the patents are confined to addressing “allergic reactions”:
`
`It is known to use antihistamines in nasal sprays and eye drops to treat allergy-
`related conditions. Thus, for example, it is known to use the antihistamine
`azelastine (usually as the hydrochloride salt) as a nasal spray against seasonal or
`perennial allergic rhinitis, or as eye drops against seasonal and perennial allergic
`conjunctivitis. It is also known to treat these conditions using a corticosteroid,
`which will suppress nasal and ocular inflammatory conditions.
`
`’620 patent, 1:20-27 (emphases added).
`
`Finally, Apotex’s opening Brief acknowledges, as it must, that “[t]he ’620 patent claims
`
`drug product formulations for nasal administration” and “[t]he ’723 patent claims methods of
`
`administering drug product formulations via intranasal administration.” (Ap. Br. at 2-3
`
`(emphases added).) But then Apotex proceeds to shoehorn various unrelated other diseases into
`
`its construction of “condition(s),” none of which have been shown or explained in the patents to
`
`be responsive to treatment via nasal administration. This alone warrants rejecting Apotex’s
`
`construction.
`
`II.
`
` “[A]dministration” should be given its plain and ordinary meaning
`
`Term
`
`Plaintiffs’ Construction
`
`Apotex’s Construction
`
`To administer simultaneously, either in
`the same or different pharmaceutical
`formulations, or separately or
`sequentially.
`
`administration Plain and ordinary meaning.
`(To the extent that the Court requires
`further explanation of the plain and
`ordinary meaning of
`“administration,” Plaintiffs propose
`that the plain and ordinary meaning
`of “administration” is “application.”)
`
`{01073185;v1 }
`
`
`
` 6
`
`

`
`Case 1:14-cv-01453-LPS Document 61 Filed 12/23/15 Page 10 of 15 PageID #: 1812
`
`A.
`
`The Claims of the ’620 and ’723 Patents are Limited to Single Formulation
`for Simultaneous Administration
`
`Neither the specification nor the prosecution history suggests departure from the plain
`
`and ordinary meaning of the term “administration.” Therefore, it requires no construction. (Pl.
`
`Br. at 12-14.) Nowhere in the specification is there any “special” definition for the term
`
`“administration,” as Apotex contends; and the patentees did not act as their own lexicographer to
`
`redefine this term from its ordinary usage. To the extent that the Court would find it helpful,
`
`Plaintiffs submit that the ordinary meaning of “administration,” as it relates to pharmaceuticals,
`
`is “application” or “to apply.”3
`
`Ostensibly, there is no dispute between the parties as to the meaning of “administration”
`
`in general. Instead, as confirmed by Apotex’s opening Brief, the actual dispute is whether the
`
`claims of the patents-in-suit are limited to a single formulation containing both azelastine and
`
`fluticasone for simultaneous administration, as Plaintiffs maintain and the intrinsic record
`
`compels, or whether they extend to cover separate formulations that can be administered
`
`separately or sequentially, as Apotex incorrectly contends. Apotex seeks construction of
`
`“administration” for no reason other than as a means to advance its overly broad reading of the
`
`claims. Apotex’s tactic should be rejected.
`
`
`3 Plaintiffs proffered “application” or “to apply” only to adhere to this Court’s preference
`
`that parties offer some explanation of disputed claim terms beyond simply asserting “plain and
`ordinary meaning,” and not as a formal proposed construction. See Honorable Leonard P. Stark,
`District of Delaware, REVISED PROCEDURES FOR MANAGING PATENT CASES (June 18, 2014) at 8,
`available at http://www.ded.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/Chambers/LPS/PatentProcs/LPS-
`PatentProcedures.pdf. Moreover, this reflects the dictionary definition of “administration.” See
`Agfa Corp. v. Creo Products, Inc., 451 F.3d 1366, 1376 (Fed. Cir. 2006) (finding dictionary
`definitions appropriate when claim construction involves “little more than the application of
`widely accepted meaning of commonly understood words.”).
`{01073185;v1 }
` 7
`
`
`
`

`
`Case 1:14-cv-01453-LPS Document 61 Filed 12/23/15 Page 11 of 15 PageID #: 1813
`
`Apotex asserts that its construction is a “definition [that] comes directly out of the
`
`specifications,” and that “the patentees acted as their own lexicographers.” (Ap. Br. at 1.) Each
`
`of these statements are demonstrably false. Apotex’s construction and arguments hinge on the
`
`following passage from the specification:
`
`It will also be appreciated from the above, that the respective therapeutic agents
`of the combined preparation can be administered simultaneously, either in
`the same or different pharmaceutical formulation, or separately or
`sequentially.
`
`See, e.g., ’723 patent, 4:61-64. But this is not a definition of “administration.” Rather, it is a
`
`written description of the full features of the invention, which the inventors could have sought to
`
`claim. But as explained in Plaintiffs’ opening brief (Pl. Br. at 14-18) and in the next section
`
`below, the inventors during prosecution narrowed the scope of the subject matter that was
`
`eventually claimed, and they chose to claim less than what is reflected in the written description.
`
`And doing so is a common practice in patent prosecution, as patent applicants can—and often
`
`do—claim less subject matter in a given patent than was initially disclosed in the written
`
`description of the application. See Novo Nordisk of N. Am. v. Genentech, Inc., 77 F.3d 1364,
`
`1369 (Fed. Cir. 1996) (“While claims are to be interpreted in light of the specification, all that
`
`appears in the specification is not necessarily within the scope of the claims and thus entitled to
`
`protection.”).
`
`
`
`Apotex’s contention that the patentees, acting as lexicographers, redefined
`
`“administration” to mean something other than its plain and ordinary meaning, is also false.
`
`Lexicography requires “clarity, deliberateness, and precision” and, if done, must “set out [any]
`
`uncommon definition in some manner within the patent disclosure so as to give one of ordinary
`
`skill in the art notice of the change” in meaning. See In re Paulsen, 30 F.3d 1475, 1480, (Fed.
`
`Cir. 1994) (emphasis added) (internal quotations omitted). The patents-in-suit here do not set
`{01073185;v1 }
` 8
`
`
`
`

`
`Case 1:14-cv-01453-LPS Document 61 Filed 12/23/15 Page 12 of 15 PageID #: 1814
`
`forth an “uncommon definition,” or any definition for that matter, for the term “administration.”
`
`The passage from the specification Apotex relies on is not lexicography or a definition of
`
`“administration.” It was a description of the full embodiments of the invention when the
`
`application was filed, which is broader than the issued claims in the present patents. “It is not
`
`enough for a patentee to simply disclose a single embodiment or use a word in the same manner
`
`in all embodiments, the patentee must clearly express an intent to redefine the term.” Thorner v.
`
`Sony Computer Entm’t Am. LLC, 669 F.3d 1362, 1365 (Fed. Cir. 2012). That has not happened
`
`here.
`
`Indeed, the passage Apotex cites no more sets forth a definition of “administer,” than it
`
`would a definition for “respective therapeutic agents,” which also appears in the passage Apotex
`
`cites. Mere inclusion in the specification or in a description of embodiments doesn’t mean the
`
`passage defines the term “administration.”
`
`B.
`
`The Prosecution History Prohibits Apotex’s Overly Broad Interpretation of
`the Scope of the Claims of the ’620 and ’723 Patents
`
`Conspicuously, Apotex’s opening Brief relies almost exclusively on the descriptive
`
`passage and originally submitted claim set from the original applications for the patents, and
`
`ignores the important prosecution history where the patentees amended and narrowed what they
`
`ultimately claimed in the ’620 and ’723 patents from that original disclosure, which is common
`
`patent practice. See Trading Techs. Int’l Inc. v. eSpeed, Inc., 595 F.3d 1340, 1352 (Fed. Cir.
`
`2010) (finding prosecution history “demonstrate[s] how the inventor understood the invention
`
`and whether the inventor limited the invention in the course of prosecution, making the claim
`
`scope narrower than it would otherwise be.”). “The purpose of consulting the prosecution history
`
`in construing a claim is to exclude any interpretation that was disclaimed during prosecution.”
`
`{01073185;v1 }
`
`
`
` 9
`
`

`
`Case 1:14-cv-01453-LPS Document 61 Filed 12/23/15 Page 13 of 15 PageID #: 1815
`
`Chimie v. PPG Indus., Inc., 402 F.3d 1371, 1384 (Fed. Cir. 2005). This is precisely what
`
`happened here. (See Pl. Br. at 14-18.)
`
`Nowhere in its Brief does Apotex contend with, or even mention, that the patentees
`
`cancelled the “separate” and “sequential” limitations from the claims (Pl. Br. at 14-18), much
`
`less explain how its construction is viable in light of the cancellation. The important prosecution
`
`history that is omitted in Apotex’s opening Brief is dispositive, and defeats Apotex’s proposed
`
`construction and its attempt to expand the claims. While separate dosage forms are disclosed in
`
`the specification (as originally filed) as potential embodiments, during prosecution of the ’620
`
`and ’723 patents, however, the patentees expressly removed these separate dosage forms before
`
`obtaining issuance of the claims. (Pl. Br. at 14-18.) The remaining claims which issued and are
`
`the asserted claims in this case are limited to a single formulation suitable for simultaneous
`
`administration. (Pl. Br. at 16-17.) As such, Apotex’s construction fails because it hinges entirely
`
`on a description of unclaimed alternative embodiments in the specification, as originally filed.
`
`Finally, instead of contending with the actual prosecution history, Apotex’s opening Brief
`
`resorts to expending three pages citing and discussing so-called “Other Intrinsic Evidence.” (Ap.
`
`Br. at 9-11.) However, as Apotex admits, this material consists of nothing more than “other
`
`patent applications and publications invented by others.” (Ap. Br. at 9 (emphases added).) They
`
`are not the patentees’ statements, so they cannot be attributed to Plaintiffs as admissions about
`
`the scope of the claimed inventions. At most, they are third-party information that, according to
`
`the Federal Circuit, carry significantly less weight in claim construction determinations because
`
`they are not the patentee’s statements regarding the invention. See Acumed LLC v. Stryker Corp.,
`
`483 F.3d 800, 809 (Fed. Cir. 2007) (prior art references cited during prosecution are “not created
`
`by the patentee in attempting to explain and obtain the patent,” so they “merit[] less weight than
`
`{01073185;v1 }
`
`
`
` 10
`
`

`
`Case 1:14-cv-01453-LPS Document 61 Filed 12/23/15 Page 14 of 15 PageID #: 1816
`
`the evidence of the patentee’s own words”) (internal citations omitted). Even if the Court were to
`
`entertain them, there is nothing in these references to support Apotex’s argument that the term
`
`“administration” has a special meaning in the patents-in-suit. Moreover, Apotex cites these
`
`references for the same language and proposition as the originally-filed written description
`
`discussed above. That passage, as discussed, is nullified in view of the narrowing amendments
`
`and arguments made during prosecution which resulted in the narrower claims of the ’620
`
`and ’723 patents.
`
`CONCLUSION
`
`For the foregoing reasons, Plaintiffs respectfully request that the Court adopt Plaintiffs’
`
`proposed constructions for the disputed terms: condition(s) and administration.
`
`
`
`
`
`{01073185;v1 }
`
`
`
` 11
`
`

`
`Case 1:14-cv-01453-LPS Document 61 Filed 12/23/15 Page 15 of 15 PageID #: 1817
`
`ASHBY & GEDDES
`
`/s/ Andrew C. Mayo
`_________________________________
`Steven J. Balick (#2114)
`John G. Day (#2403)
`Andrew C. Mayo (#5207)
`500 Delaware Ave., 8th Floor
`P.O. Box 1150
`Wilmington, DE 19899
`(302) 654-1888
`sbalick@ashby-geddes.com
`jday@ashby-geddes.com
`amayo@ashby-geddes.com
`
`Attorneys for Plaintiffs
`Meda Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Cipla Ltd.
`
`
`
`
`
`Of Counsel:
`
`H. Keeto Sabharwal
`Dennies Varughese
`Uma N. Everett
`Rami Bardenstein
`Dallin G. Glenn
`Joshua I. Miller
`Josephine J. Kim
`STERNE, KESSLER, GOLDSTEIN &
` FOX P.L.L.C.
`1100 New York Ave., N.W., Suite 800
`Washington, DC 20005-3934
`(202) 371-2600
`
`Dated: December 23, 2015
`
`
`{01073185;v1 }
`
`
`
` 12

This document is available on Docket Alarm but you must sign up to view it.


Or .

Accessing this document will incur an additional charge of $.

After purchase, you can access this document again without charge.

Accept $ Charge
throbber

Still Working On It

This document is taking longer than usual to download. This can happen if we need to contact the court directly to obtain the document and their servers are running slowly.

Give it another minute or two to complete, and then try the refresh button.

throbber

A few More Minutes ... Still Working

It can take up to 5 minutes for us to download a document if the court servers are running slowly.

Thank you for your continued patience.

This document could not be displayed.

We could not find this document within its docket. Please go back to the docket page and check the link. If that does not work, go back to the docket and refresh it to pull the newest information.

Your account does not support viewing this document.

You need a Paid Account to view this document. Click here to change your account type.

Your account does not support viewing this document.

Set your membership status to view this document.

With a Docket Alarm membership, you'll get a whole lot more, including:

  • Up-to-date information for this case.
  • Email alerts whenever there is an update.
  • Full text search for other cases.
  • Get email alerts whenever a new case matches your search.

Become a Member

One Moment Please

The filing “” is large (MB) and is being downloaded.

Please refresh this page in a few minutes to see if the filing has been downloaded. The filing will also be emailed to you when the download completes.

Your document is on its way!

If you do not receive the document in five minutes, contact support at support@docketalarm.com.

Sealed Document

We are unable to display this document, it may be under a court ordered seal.

If you have proper credentials to access the file, you may proceed directly to the court's system using your government issued username and password.


Access Government Site

We are redirecting you
to a mobile optimized page.





Document Unreadable or Corrupt

Refresh this Document
Go to the Docket

We are unable to display this document.

Refresh this Document
Go to the Docket