throbber
Paper No. _______
`Date Filed: November 18, 2016
`
`
`Filed On Behalf Of:
`Novartis AG
`
`By:
`Nicholas N. Kallas
`NKallas@fchs.com
`ZortressAfinitorIPR@fchs.com
`(212) 218-2100
`
`
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`
`
`
`
`PAR PHARMACEUTICAL, INC.,
`
`Petitioner,
`
`v.
`
`NOVARTIS AG,
`
`Patent Owner.
`
`
`
`Case IPR2016-01479
`
`Patent No. 9,006,224
`
`
`
`
`
`PATENT OWNER’S PRELIMINARY
`RESPONSE UNDER 37 C.F.R. § 42.107
`
`
`
`
`
`

`
`
`
`
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`
`I.
`
`Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1
`
`II.
`
`The Person Of Ordinary Skill In The Art And Invention Date ....................... 4
`
`III. Background On Neuroendocrine Tumors, Including Advanced
`PNETs .............................................................................................................. 4
`
`IV. Claim Construction .......................................................................................... 7
`
`A.
`
`B.
`
`“Advanced” Tumors Are “Metastatic Or Unresectable” ...................... 7
`
`The Ordinary And Customary Meaning Of “Advanced”
`Is Not “After Failure Of Cytotoxic Chemotherapy” ............................. 9
`
`V.
`
`The Board Should Deny Grounds 3 And 4 Because No
`Reference Teaches Or Suggests The Claim Element “Advanced
`[PNETs] After Failure Of Cytotoxic Chemotherapy” ................................... 11
`
`A.
`
`Boulay 2004 ........................................................................................ 12
`
`B. O’Donnell ............................................................................................ 14
`
`C. Duran ................................................................................................... 15
`
`D.
`
`Tabernero ............................................................................................. 17
`
`VI. The Board Should Deny Grounds 1-4 Because One Of Ordinary
`Skill Would Not Have Had A Reasonable Expectation That
`Everolimus Would Effectively Treat “Advanced [PNETs] After
`Failure Of Cytotoxic Chemotherapy” ........................................................... 19
`
`Par’s Reasonable Expectation Of Success Arguments
`Ignore That Tumors That Had Failed Cytotoxic
`Chemotherapy Generally Were More Resistant To
`Treatment And More Difficult To Treat ............................................. 20
`
`A.
`
`
`
`
`
`i
`
`

`
`
`
`B.
`
`The Art Cited In Grounds 1 And 2 Fails To Establish A
`Reasonable Expectation That Everolimus Would Be
`Effective In A Method Of Treating “Advanced [PNETs]
`After Failure Of Cytotoxic Chemotherapy” ........................................ 23
`
`1.
`
`2.
`
`3.
`
`4.
`
`Oberg 2004 ................................................................................ 24
`
`Boulay 2004 .............................................................................. 25
`
`O’Donnell .................................................................................. 26
`
`Tabernero .................................................................................. 29
`
`C.
`
`The Art Cited In Par’s Grounds 3 And 4 Fail To
`Establish A Reasonable Expectation That Everolimus
`Would Be Effective In A Method Of Treating “Advanced
`[PNETs] After Failure Of Cytotoxic Chemotherapy” ........................ 33
`
`1.
`
`2.
`
`3.
`
`Boulay 2004, O’Donnell And Tabernero ................................. 34
`
`Duran ......................................................................................... 34
`
`Additional Art Referenced In Connection With
`Grounds 3 And 4 ....................................................................... 38
`
`VII. The Methods Of Claims 1-3 Of The ’224 Patent Have
`Demonstrated Unexpected Results ................................................................ 40
`
`VIII. Conclusion ..................................................................................................... 45
`
`
`
`ii
`
`
`
`
`
`

`
`
`
`Cases
`
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
`
`
`10X Genomics, Inc. v. Univ. of Chicago,
`IPR2015-01163 (Patent Tr. & App. Bd. Nov. 16, 2015),
`Paper 14 .................................................................................................. 20, 23
`
`Ashland Oil, Inc. v. Delta Resins & Refractories, Inc.,
`776 F.2d 281 (Fed. Cir. 1985) ................................................................ 22, 36
`
`Coalition for Affordable Drugs V LLC v. Hoffman-LaRoche
`Inc., IPR2015-01792 (Patent Tr. & App. Bd. March 11,
`2016), Paper 14 ....................................................................................... 40, 45
`
`Cuozzo Speed Techs., LLC v. Lee,
`136 S. Ct. 2131 (2016) ..................................................................................... 7
`
`In re Translogic Tech., Inc.,
`504 F.3d 1249 (Fed. Cir. 2007) ....................................................................... 7
`
`InSite Vision Inc. v. Sandoz, Inc.,
`783 F.3d 853 (Fed. Cir. 2015) ................................................................ 20, 23
`
`IntelGenX Corp. v. ICOS Corp.,
`IPR2016-00678 (Patent Tr. & App. Bd. Sept. 1, 2016),
`Paper 13 .........................................................................................................12
`
`Janssen Pharmaceutica, N.V. v. Eon Labs. Mfg., Inc.,
`134 Fed. Appx. 425 (Fed. Cir. 2005) .............................................................. 9
`
`Johns Manville Corp. v. Knauf Insulation, Inc.,
`IPR2015-01633 (Patent Tr. & App. Bd. Jan. 4, 2016),
`Paper 10 .................................................................................................. 22, 36
`
`NetApp Inc. v. Crossroads Sys., Inc.,
`IPR2014-01233, 2015 WL 996342 (Patent Tr. & App.
`Bd. Feb. 10, 2015) .........................................................................................11
`
`Par Pharm., Inc. v. Novartis AG,
`IPR2016-00078, 2016 WL 2849201 (Patent Tr. & App.
`Bd. Apr. 28, 2016) .........................................................................................12
`
`
`
`iii
`
`

`
`
`
`Praxair Distrib., Inc. v. INO Therapeutics, Inc.,
`IPR2015-00522, -00524, -00525, -00526 (Patent Tr. &
`App. Bd. July 29, 2015), Paper 12.......................................................... 41, 45
`
`
`
`Regulations
`
`37 C.F.R. § 42.100(b) ................................................................................................ 7
`
`37 C.F.R. § 42.104(b)(4) ......................................................................... 2, 11, 12, 19
`
`37 C.F.R. § 42.65(a) .......................................................................................... 22, 36
`
`
`
`iv
`
`
`
`
`
`

`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`LIST OF EXHIBITS
`
`Exhibit
`
`Description
`
`Abbreviation
`
`Expert Declaration Of Matthew H. Kulke,
`M.D., M.M.Sc.
`
`Kulke Decl.
`
`Curriculum Vitae of Matthew H. Kulke,
`M.D., M.M.Sc.
`
`Kulke C.V.
`
`2001
`
`2002
`
`2003
`
`Seeley, R. R., Stephens, T.D., & Tate, P.,
`Anatomy & Physiology, 3rd Edition,
`pages 585 – 586 (1995)
`
`2004
`
`Reserved
`
`Seeley
`
`
`
`2005
`
`Laughlin, E.H., Coming To Terms With
`Cancer: A Glossary Of Cancer-Related
`Terms, page 4 (2002)
`
`Laughlin
`Cancer Glossary
`
`2006
`
` Reserved
`
`2007
`
` Reserved
`
`2008
`
`Motzer, R.J. & Russo, P., “Systemic
`Therapy For Renal Cell Carcinoma,” J.
`Urology 163:408-417 (2000)
`
`2009
`
` Reserved
`
`2010
`
`2011
`
`Pazdur, R., et al. (eds.), Chapters 6, 11,
`14-16, 19, 25, Cancer Management: A
`Multidisciplinary Approach: Medical,
`Surgical, & Radiation Oncology, 9th
`Edition (2005)
`
`Kouvaraki, M.A. et al., “Fluorouracil,
`Doxorubicin, And Streptozocin In The
`Treatment Of Patients With Locally
`Advanced And Metastatic Pancreatic
`Endocrine Carcinomas,” J. Clin. Oncol.
`22(23):4762-4771 (2004)
`
`v
`
`
`
`
`
`Motzer
`
`
`
`Pazdur
`
`Kouvaraki
`
`

`
`
`
`
`
`Exhibit
`
`Description
`
`Abbreviation
`
`2012
`
`2013
`
`2014
`
`2015
`
`2016
`
`Delaunoit, Th., et al., “The Doxorubicin-
`Streptozotocin Combination For The
`Treatment Of Advanced Well-
`Differentiated Pancreatic Endocrine
`Carcinoma: A Judicious Option?,” Eur. J.
`Cancer 40:515-520 (2004)
`
`Kulke, M.H., Chapter 110,
`“Neuroendocrine Cancer,” Clinical
`Hematology and Oncology: Presentation,
`Diagnosis and Treatment (Furie, B., et al.
`eds. 2003)
`
`Kulke, M.H. et al., “A Phase II Trial Of
`Gemcitabine For Metastatic
`Neuroendocrine Tumors,” Cancer
`101(5): 934-939 (2004)
`
`Margolin, K. et al., “CCI-779 In
`Metastatic Melanoma: A Phase II Trial
`Of The California Cancer Consortium,”
`Cancer 104(5): 1045-1048 (2005)
`
`“Novartis Drug Afinitor Is First
`Treatment For Advanced Pancreatic NET
`To Provide Overall Survival Of More
`Than 3.5 Years In Phase III Trial,”
`Novartis Institutes For Biomedical
`Research (September 27, 2014)
`
`Delaunoit
`
`Kulke 2003
`
`Kulke 2004
`
`Margolin
`
`Novartis Press
`Release
`
`2017
`
`Ritschel, W.A., Handbook of Basic
`Pharmacokinetics, 4th Edition, pages 6-7,
`264-267 (1992)
`
`Ritschel
`
`vi
`
`

`
`
`
`
`
`Exhibit
`
`Description
`
`Abbreviation
`
`Heitz, Ph.U., et al., Chapter 4, “Tumours
`Of The Endocrine Pancreas,” World
`Health Organization Classification of
`Tumours, Pathology and Genetics,
`Tumours of Endocrine Organs, pages
`177-182 (DeLellis, R.A. et al., eds. 2004)
`
`WHO
`
`Physicians’ Desk Reference, 59th Edition
`(2005), pages 1844-1849 (Entry for
`Gemzar®(Gemcitabine HCl))
`
`Gemzar®
`Prescribing
`Information 2005
`
`Kulke, M.H. & Mayer, R.J., “Carcinoid
`Tumors,” N. Eng. J. Med. 340(11): 858-
`868 (1999)
`
`Kulke 1999
`
`2018
`
`2019
`
`2020
`
`2021
`
`Gennaro, A.R. (ed.), Remington’s, 18th
`Edition, pages 726-730 (1990)
`
`Remington’s
`
`2022
`
`2023
`
`2024
`
`Yao, J.C. et al., “Everolimus For
`Advanced Pancreatic Neuroendocrine
`Tumors,” N. Eng. J. Med. 364(6): 514-
`523 (2011)
`
`Kola, I. & Landis, J., “Can The
`Pharmaceutical Industry Reduce Attrition
`Rates?,” Nat. Rev. Drug Discov., 3:711-
`715 (2004)
`
`Excerpts of Transcript of Trial Testimony
`of M. Ratain, Pfizer Inc. et al. v. Mylan
`Pharms. Inc., (C.A. No. 10-528-GMS),
`(D. Del. November 29, 2012), Pages 778-
`79, 950, 995
`
`Yao
`
`Kola & Landis
`
`Ratain Trial Tr. I
`
`vii
`
`

`
`
`
`
`
`Exhibit
`
`Description
`
`Abbreviation
`
`2025
`
`2026
`
`2027
`
`2028
`
`Excerpts of Transcript of Trial Testimony
`of M. Ratain, Novartis v. Breckenridge,
`Roxane and Par (C.A. Nos. 14-1043-
`RGA, 14-1196-RGA and 14-1289-RGA)
`(D. Del. August 31, 2016), Pages 769-
`772, 957, 993-94, 1003, 1010, 1012, 1014
`
`Excerpts of Transcript of Deposition of
`M. Ratain, Novartis v. Breckenridge,
`Roxane and Par (C.A. Nos. 14-1043-
`RGA, 14-1196-RGA and 14-1289-RGA)
`(D. Del. Apr. 11, 2016), Pages 1-5, 34,
`156, 340
`
`Dancey, J.E., “Inhibitors Of The
`Mammalian Target Of Rapamycin,”
`Expert Opin. Investig. Drugs 14(3): 313-
`328 (2005)
`
`Duran, I, et al., “A Phase II Clinical And
`Pharmacodynamic Study Of
`Temsirolimus In Advanced
`Neuroendocrine Carcinomas,” British J.
`of Cancer 95(9): 1148-1154 (2006)
`
`Ratain Trial Tr. II
`
`Ratain Dep. Tr.
`
`Dancey 2005
`
`Duran 2006
`
`viii
`
`

`
`
`
`I.
`
`
`
`Introduction
`
`Novartis AG (“Novartis”) respectfully submits this Preliminary Response to
`
`the Petition of Par Pharmaceutical, Inc. (“Par”) seeking inter partes review of
`
`claims 1-3 of United States Patent No. 9,006,224 (“the ’224 Patent,” Ex. 1001) on
`
`four Grounds (Paper 1, “Petition” or “Pet.”).
`
`Claims 1-3 of the ’224 Patent recite methods of using the compound 40-O-
`
`(2-hydroxyethyl)-rapamycin (commonly known as everolimus) as a monotherapy
`
`to treat pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (“PNETs”) “wherein the tumors are
`
`advanced tumors after failure of cytotoxic chemotherapy.” Par’s Petition is fatally
`
`flawed for the following three independent reasons.
`
`First, none of the references in Par’s Grounds 3 or 4, alone or in
`
`combination, teaches or suggests the claim element “advanced [PNETs] after
`
`failure of cytotoxic chemotherapy.” Boulay 2004 describes an in vivo study of
`
`everolimus against the CA20948 “rat pancreatic tumor model,” which is not a
`
`model for “advanced [PNETs] after failure of cytotoxic chemotherapy” and does
`
`not teach or suggest using everolimus in such patients. Duran describes an
`
`ongoing Phase II clinical trial with a compound known as temsirolimus—not
`
`everolimus—and none of the patients is stated to have “advanced [PNETs] after
`
`failure of cytotoxic chemotherapy.” Likewise, none of the patients described in
`
`O’Donnell or Tabernero was reported to have advanced PNETs, let alone
`
`1
`
`
`
`

`
`
`
`“advanced [PNETs] after failure of cytotoxic chemotherapy.” Because none of
`
`Boulay 2004, Duran, O’Donnell or Tabernero teaches or suggests the claim
`
`element “advanced [PNETs] after failure of cytotoxic chemotherapy,” Par’s
`
`analysis is deficient under 37 C.F.R. § 42.104(b)(4).
`
`Second, each of Par’s four Grounds is deficient for failing to establish that
`
`one of ordinary skill in the art would have reasonably expected that everolimus
`
`would effectively treat “advanced [PNETs] after failure of cytotoxic
`
`chemotherapy.” Par contends that a person of ordinary skill would have
`
`reasonably expected everolimus to successfully treat advanced PNETs. While
`
`Novartis disagrees that Par’s references support this conclusion, even if it were
`
`true, this conclusion fails to address the relevant question: would a person of
`
`ordinary skill have reasonably expected that everolimus would successfully treat
`
`“advanced [PNETs] after failure of cytotoxic chemotherapy”? The answer is no.
`
`Notably, Par ignores that patients with advanced PNETs who had previously failed
`
`treatment with cytotoxic chemotherapy were known to have a generally more
`
`resistant or aggressive disease than those who had not failed such treatment, and
`
`thus were more difficult to treat. In fact, it was known that after failure of
`
`cytotoxic chemotherapy, the vast majority of advanced PNET patients (over 80%)
`
`failed to respond to drugs with proven clinical efficacy in untreated patients, but as
`
`of November 2005, everolimus had not even demonstrated efficacy in patients with
`
`2
`
`
`
`

`
`
`
`previously untreated advanced PNETs. Thus, one of ordinary skill would not have
`
`had a reasonable expectation that everolimus would successfully treat “advanced
`
`[PNETs] after failure of cytotoxic chemotherapy.”
`
`Third, the results of the methods of claims 1-3 would have been unexpected
`
`to one of ordinary skill in November 2005, and those unexpected results were not
`
`rebutted by Par. The results of the claimed methods are reflected in the results of
`
`the Phase III RADIANT-3 clinical trial that led to the FDA approval of everolimus
`
`and showed that treatment with everolimus produced a statistically significant
`
`improvement in progression free survival (“PFS”) in patients with “advanced
`
`[PNETs] after failure of cytotoxic chemotherapy.” During prosecution, the Patent
`
`Examiner expressly considered the results of the RADIANT-3 clinical trial and
`
`stated they would have been unexpected to a person of ordinary skill in the art.
`
`Indeed, as of November 2005, it was reported that only 5% of oncology drugs
`
`progressed from first-in-human trials to regulatory approval. And no other mTOR
`
`inhibitor, including rapamycin and temsirolimus, has obtained FDA approval for
`
`the treatment of PNETs. Notwithstanding that the Patent Office expressly
`
`considered and relied on these unexpected results in allowing the ’224 Patent, Par’s
`
`Petition fails to address them. These unexpected results constitute unrebutted
`
`evidence of the non-obviousness of the claimed methods.
`
`3
`
`
`
`

`
`
`
`
`
`For each of these independent reasons, Par cannot establish the obviousness
`
`of claims 1-3 of the ’224 Patent. Novartis respectfully requests that the Board
`
`deny institution of inter partes review.
`
`II. The Person Of Ordinary Skill In The Art And Invention Date
`
`For the purposes of this Preliminary Response, Novartis adopts Par’s
`
`proposed definition of a person of ordinary skill in the art (see Pet. 15-16; Ex.
`
`1003, Ratain Decl. ¶ 21) and, like Par, evaluates obviousness of the ’224 Patent as
`
`of its November 21, 2005 priority date (see, e.g., Pet. 5, 15, 29, 37; Ex. 1003,
`
`Ratain Decl. ¶ 17).
`
`III. Background On Neuroendocrine Tumors, Including Advanced PNETs
`
`Neuroendocrine tumors (“NETs”) are tumors that arise from endocrine, i.e.,
`
`hormone-producing cells. Ex. 2001, Kulke Decl. ¶ 24. The term NET describes a
`
`wide range of distinct tumors. Id. at ¶¶ 24-26, 29. These different types of NETs
`
`and their relationships are summarized below (id.):
`
`4
`
`
`
`

`
`
`
`Neuroendocrine
`tumors (NETs)
`
`Carcinoid tumors
`
`PNETs
`
`Benign carcinoid
`tumors
`
`Malignant carcinoid
`tumors (carcinomas)
`
`Benign PNETs
`
`Malignant PNETs
`(carcinomas)
`
`Localized carcinoid
`tumors
`
`Advanced
`carcinoid tumors
`(i.e., locally
`advanced,
`metastatic or
`unresectable)
`
`Localized PNETs
`
`Advanced PNETs
`(i.e., locally
`advanced,
`metastatic or
`unresectable)
`
`Prior to failure of
`cytotoxic
`chemotherapy
`
`After failure of
`cytotoxic
`chemotherapy
`
`Prior to failure of
`cytotoxic
`chemotherapy
`
`After failure of
`cytotoxic
`chemotherapy
`
`
`
`As shown in the figure above, NETs are usually classified as either carcinoid
`
`tumors or pancreatic NETs (i.e., PNETs). Ex. 2001, Kulke Decl. ¶ 24; Ex. 2013,
`
`Kulke 2003 at 1133. Carcinoid tumors may arise from multiple different organs
`
`and are classified according to their site of origin, e.g., foregut (lungs, bronchi, or
`
`stomach), midgut (small intestine, appendix, and proximal large bowel) or hindgut
`
`(distal colon and rectum). Ex. 2001, Kulke Decl. ¶ 24; Ex. 2020, Kulke 1999 at
`
`858. PNETs arise from the endocrine cells of the pancreas. Ex. 2001, Kulke Decl.
`
`¶ 24; Ex. 2018, WHO at 177.
`
`PNETs “include islet cell tumors, APUDomas, insulinomas, glucagonomas,
`
`nonfunctioning pancreatic NETs, pancreatic NETs associated with hypercalcemia,
`
`gastrinomas, VIPomas, somatostatinomas, GRFomas.” Ex. 1001, ’224 Patent, col.
`
`5
`
`
`
`

`
`
`
`2, ll. 54-58, col. 8, ll. 13-17; Ex. 2001, Kulke Decl. ¶ 31; Ex. 2018, WHO at 177;
`
`Ex. 1020, Kaltsas at 472 (Table 2), 475.
`
`While all PNETs are NETs, not all NETs are PNETs and there are
`
`substantial differences between PNETs and carcinoid tumors, i.e., between the
`
`different types of NETs. Ex. 2001, Kulke Decl. ¶ 25. For example, by November
`
`2005, it was known that PNETs and carcinoid tumors produced different clinical
`
`symptoms and responded differently to pharmacotherapies. Id.; Ex. 2013, Kulke
`
`2003 at 1133; Ex. 2010, Pazdur at 311; Ex. 1027, Oberg 2004 at 57.
`
`NETs (carcinoid tumors and PNETs) may pursue a clinical course that is
`
`either benign or malignant, i.e., have the potential to spread to other areas of the
`
`body. Ex. 2001, Kulke Decl. ¶ 26. Malignant NETs, which include both
`
`malignant PNETs and malignant carcinoid tumors, have been referred to as
`
`neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs). Id.
`
`And, malignant tumors may be either localized or advanced. As discussed
`
`in more detail below, PNETs are referred to as “advanced” PNETs if they have
`
`spread to nearby areas (locally advanced) or more distant areas of the body
`
`(metastatic) and are generally unresectable (i.e., they cannot be cured by surgery).
`
`Id. at ¶ 27.
`
`Challenged claims 1-3 of the ’224 Patent concern the treatment of specific
`
`tumors, namely, advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (i.e., advanced
`
`6
`
`
`
`

`
`
`
`PNETs), that have failed to respond to cytotoxic chemotherapy. Ex. 1001, ’224
`
`Patent, col. 26, l. 66 – col. 27, l. 8. These tumors are circled in red at the bottom
`
`right of the figure reproduced above on page 5.
`
`IV. Claim Construction
`
` Novartis agrees with Par (Pet. 16-17) that, for the purposes of this inter
`
`partes review, the ’224 Patent claim terms should be given their broadest
`
`reasonable construction in light of the specification of the patent and assigned their
`
`ordinary and customary meaning, as would be understood by one of ordinary skill
`
`in the art at the time of the invention, in the context of the entire patent disclosure.
`
`37 C.F.R. § 42.100(b); Cuozzo Speed Techs., LLC v. Lee, 136 S. Ct. 2131, 2144–46
`
`(2016); In re Translogic Tech., Inc., 504 F.3d 1249, 1257 (Fed. Cir. 2007).
`
`Par proposes constructions for four claim terms. Pet. 18-21. Novartis does
`
`not believe it is necessary to construe the terms “pancreatic neuroendocrine
`
`tumor,” “unit dose” or “islet cell tumor” at the present stage of the proceedings,
`
`and reserves its right to propose constructions for these and other terms at a later
`
`time, if appropriate. For the reasons discussed below, Novartis respectfully
`
`requests that the Board construe the term “advanced” tumors.
`
`A.
`
`“Advanced” Tumors Are “Metastatic Or Unresectable”
`
`Novartis agrees with Par that “[a] person of ordinary skill in the art at the
`
`time of the alleged inventions would have understood the claim term ‘advanced
`
`7
`
`
`
`

`
`
`
`tumors’ to have its ordinary and customary meaning in the art that is consistent
`
`with the [’224 Patent] specification.” Pet. 19-20. Novartis further agrees with Par,
`
`that “[a]s used by those of skill in the field of oncology, an ‘advanced’ tumor is a
`
`tumor that is unresectable or metastatic.” Pet. 19-20 (emphasis added); Ex.
`
`2001, Kulke Decl. ¶¶ 27-28, 32-34.
`
`This proposed construction is supported by the ’224 Patent specification,
`
`which explains that “advanced” PNETs are those that are “metastatic” (i.e., they
`
`have spread outside of the pancreas), or “unresectable” (i.e., they cannot be cured
`
`by surgery, for example, because they have spread to nearby areas (locally
`
`advanced)). Ex. 1001, ’224 Patent, col. 26, ll. 57-58; Ex. 2001, Kulke Decl. ¶¶ 33-
`
`34.
`
`The ’224 Patent specification’s use of the term “advanced” is consistent with
`
`its ordinary usage in the art as of November 2005. Ex. 2001, Kulke Decl. ¶ 33; see
`
`also ¶¶ 27-28; Ex. 1023, Moertel at 520 (describing patients with “advanced”
`
`PNETs (referred to as islet-cell carcinomas) as having proof of “unresectable or
`
`metastatic” disease). However, the term “advanced” is not specific to PNETs. Ex.
`
`2005, Laughlin Cancer Glossary at 4 (defining “advanced cancer” as “[a] general
`
`term describing the stages of cancer in which the disease has spread from the
`
`primary site to other parts of the body. When the cancer has spread only to the
`
`surrounding areas, it is called locally advanced. If it has spread further by
`
`8
`
`
`
`

`
`
`
`traveling through the bloodstream or lymph system, it is called metastatic.”); Ex.
`
`2001, Kulke Decl. ¶ 28.
`
`B.
`
`The Ordinary And Customary Meaning Of “Advanced”
`Is Not “After Failure Of Cytotoxic Chemotherapy”
`
`To avoid any confusion regarding the scope of the challenged claims and the
`
`disclosures of the prior art references that also use the term “advanced,” Novartis
`
`respectfully requests that the Board clearly state that its construction of the claim
`
`term “advanced” does not mean “after failure of cytotoxic chemotherapy.” Par
`
`does not suggest that “advanced” should be construed to encompass a reference to
`
`“failure of cytotoxic chemotherapy,” and, as discussed below, such a construction
`
`would be inconsistent with (1) the claim language, (2) the patent specification and
`
`(3) the ordinary and customary meaning of the term “advanced.”
`
`First, claim 1 of the ’224 Patent requires that the PNETs are “advanced
`
`tumors after failure of cytotoxic chemotherapy.” If “advanced” PNETs were those
`
`that had failed cytotoxic chemotherapy, it would have been unnecessary to
`
`separately include the language “after failure of cytotoxic chemotherapy” in the
`
`claim. Constructions that render superfluous any claim terms are disfavored.
`
`Janssen Pharmaceutica, N.V. v. Eon Labs. Mfg., Inc., 134 Fed. Appx. 425, 428
`
`(Fed. Cir. 2005).
`
`Second, the ’224 Patent specification does not describe “advanced” PNETs
`
`as PNETs that have failed to respond to cytotoxic chemotherapy. To the contrary,
`
`9
`
`
`
`

`
`
`
`the specification describes “advanced” PNETs as those that are metastatic or
`
`unresectable. Ex. 1001, ’224 Patent, col. 26, ll. 57-58; Ex. 2001, Kulke Decl. ¶ 33.
`
`The specification also provides that more than half of all patients “present with
`
`liver metastases” at the time their PNET is diagnosed. Ex. 1001, ’224 Patent, col.
`
`3, ll. 2-4; Ex. 2001, Kulke Decl. ¶ 33. Thus, the specification teaches that more
`
`than half of all patients have “advanced” (i.e., metastatic or unresectable) PNETs
`
`when they are first diagnosed. Id. Such patients could not have received any
`
`treatment, including cytotoxic chemotherapy. Id.
`
`In addition, the ’224 Patent specification describes a clinical trial in patients
`
`with “advanced (metastatic or unresectable) [PNETs] after failure of cytotoxic
`
`chemotherapy.” Ex. 1001, ’224 Patent, col. 26, ll. 56-60. If “advanced” meant
`
`that the patients had previously failed to respond to cytotoxic chemotherapy, it
`
`would not have been necessary to specify that the patients were enrolled “after
`
`failure of cytotoxic chemotherapy.” Ex. 2001, Kulke Decl. ¶ 34. The ’224 Patent
`
`specification therefore does not support an interpretation of the term “advanced”
`
`wherein the PNETs have failed to respond to cytotoxic chemotherapy.
`
`Third, a person of ordinary skill would have understood “advanced” tumors
`
`to mean tumors that were metastatic or unresectable (see pages 7-9, above)—not
`
`tumors that failed to respond to cytotoxic chemotherapy. One of ordinary skill also
`
`would have understood, consistent with the ’224 Patent specification, that the
`
`10
`
`
`
`

`
`
`
`majority of PNETs were “advanced” when a patient was first diagnosed with a
`
`PNET and before treatment with any therapy, including cytotoxic chemotherapy.
`
`Ex. 2001, Kulke Decl. ¶¶ 33-34. Therefore, one of ordinary skill would not have
`
`defined “advanced” PNETs as those PNETs that had failed cytotoxic
`
`chemotherapy.
`
`For the above reasons, there is no support in either the ’224 Patent or the art
`
`to equate the terms “advanced” and “after failure of cytotoxic chemotherapy.”
`
`These terms are used to describe two different aspects of the claim element
`
`“advanced [PNETs] after failure of cytotoxic chemotherapy” and should not be
`
`conflated. The plain and ordinary meaning of “advanced” PNETs, as understood
`
`by one of ordinary skill in the art, would be PNETs that were metastatic or
`
`unresectable.
`
`V. The Board Should Deny Grounds 3 And 4 Because No Reference
`Teaches Or Suggests The Claim Element “Advanced [PNETs] After
`Failure Of Cytotoxic Chemotherapy”
`
`To succeed on obviousness, a petitioner must “explain adequately how the
`
`references teach or render obvious the [claim] limitation[s].” NetApp Inc. v.
`
`Crossroads Sys., Inc., IPR2014-01233, 2015 WL 996342, at *5 (Patent Tr. & App.
`
`Bd. Feb. 10, 2015). In particular, a petition “must specify where each element of
`
`the claim is found in the prior art patents or printed publications relied upon.” 37
`
`C.F.R. § 42.104(b)(4). Ignoring a claim element is a basis to deny institution. See
`
`11
`
`
`
`

`
`
`
`IntelGenX Corp. v. ICOS Corp., IPR2016-00678 (Patent Tr. & App. Bd. Sept. 1,
`
`2016), Paper 13 at 6-7 (denying institution where petitioner ignored claim
`
`element); see also Par Pharm., Inc. v. Novartis AG, IPR2016-00078, 2016 WL
`
`2849201, at *6 (Patent Tr. & App. Bd. Apr. 28, 2016) (denying institution where
`
`petitioner failed to indicate why disclosure in prior art reference taught claim
`
`element).
`
`In Ground 3, Par contends that claims 1-3 would have been obvious based
`
`on Boulay 2004 in view of O’Donnell and Duran. Ground 4, which is limited to
`
`claim 2, further relies on Tabernero. But contrary to 37 C.F.R. § 42.104(b)(4),
`
`Par’s Petition fails to specify how the references in Grounds 3 and 4 teach or
`
`suggest the claim element “advanced [PNETs] after failure of cytotoxic
`
`chemotherapy,” and none of those references provides this teaching or suggestion.
`
`A. Boulay 2004
`
`Boulay 2004 does not teach or suggest the claim element “advanced
`
`[PNETs] after failure of cytotoxic chemotherapy,” and Par does not contend that it
`
`does. Boulay 2004 describes in vivo studies with everolimus using cells from the
`
`CA20948 “rat pancreatic tumor model” that had been injected under the skin of
`
`rats. Ex. 1005, Boulay 2004 at 252, 253; Ex. 2001, Kulke Decl. ¶ 36. Boulay
`
`2004 does not report results of any testing against “advanced [PNETs] after failure
`
`of cytotoxic chemotherapy” or suggest the use of everolimus in such a setting. Id.
`
`12
`
`
`
`

`
`
`
`Par asserts (albeit incorrectly1) that the CA20948 cell line used in Boulay 2004 is a
`
`model for PNETs, but never suggests that this cell line is a model for “advanced
`
`[PNETs] after failure of cytotoxic chemotherapy.” See Pet. 32-34 (admitting
`
`that Boulay 2004 does not “explicitly identify administration after failure of
`
`cytotoxic chemotherapy”), 49, 50; Ex. 1003, Ratain Decl. ¶¶ 112, 117, 137, 163,
`
`167; Ex. 2001, Kulke Decl. ¶ 36. The CA20948 cell line is not such a model. Ex.
`
`2001, Kulke Decl. ¶ 36. As discussed further below (see Section VI.A.), a person
`
`of ordinary skill would have known that “advanced [PNETs] after failure of
`
`cytotoxic chemotherapy” are generally more aggressive and less likely to respond
`
`to subsequent therapies and thus, the alleged disclosure of a model for PNETs in
`
`Boulay 2004 is not a disclosure of a model for “advanced [PNETs] after failure
`
`of cytotoxic chemotherapy.” Ex. 2001, Kulke Decl. ¶ 36.
`
`
`
` Novartis does not agree that the CA20948 cell line is a PNET cell line or a model
`
` 1
`
`for PNETs, or that activity in vivo against the CA20948 cell line would have
`
`reasonably predicted efficacy against PNETs in vivo or in humans (see Ex. 2001,
`
`Kulke Decl. ¶ 36 n.2), but does not address these disagreements in this Preliminary
`
`Response. Instead, Novartis focuses on why the CA20948 cell line is not a model
`
`for “advanced [PNETs] after failure of cytotoxic chemotherapy.”
`
`13
`
`
`
`

`
`
`
`B. O’Donnell
`
`O’Donnell similarly does not teach or suggest the claim element “advanced
`
`[PNETs] after failure of cytotoxic chemotherapy,” and Par does not argue
`
`otherwise. See Pet. 34-35 (admitting that O’Donnell does not “explicitly disclose
`
`the treatment of humans with advanced pancreatic NETs” or “explicitly teach
`
`administration after failure of cytotoxic chemotherapy”), 49, 50; Ex. 1003, Ratain
`
`Decl. ¶¶ 119, 138, 164, 167; Ex. 2001, Kulke Decl. ¶ 37. O’Donnell describes a
`
`single Phase I everolimus clinical trial in “solid tumors” of the liver (hepatocellular
`
`carcinoma), soft-tissue (fibrosarcoma), lung (non-small-cell lung cancer
`
`(“NSCLC”)), and other unspecified tissues. Ex. 1029, O’Donnell at 803; Ex. 2001,
`
`Kulke Decl. ¶ 37. None of the patients is stated to have PNETs or advanced
`
`tumors, let alone advanced PNETs. Id. And, none of the patients is stated to have
`
`previously failed cytotoxic chemotherapy. Id.
`
`A person of ordinary skill would not have assumed that the “solid tumors” in
`
`the O’Donnell patients were all advanced tumors that had previously failed to
`
`respond to cytotoxic chemotherapy. Ex. 2001, Kulke Decl. ¶ 38. Cytotoxic
`
`14
`
`
`
`

`
`
`
`chemotherapy was not always used to treat all types of tumors. Id.2 Thus, patients
`
`could have been enrolled in the O’Donnell study without having been previously
`
`treated with cytotoxic chemotherapy. Id.
`
`Thus, there is no basis to conclude that the solid tumors treated with
`
`everolimus in O’Donnell were advanced PNETs, or advanced PNETs that had
`
`previously failed to respond to cytotoxic chemotherapy. Id. at ¶ 39. O’Donnell
`
`does not teach or suggest the claim element “advanced [PNETs] after failure of
`
`cytotoxic chemotherapy.” Id.
`
`C. Duran
`
`Duran also does not teach or suggest the claim element “advanced [PNETs]
`
`after failure of cytotoxic chemotherapy.” Duran is an abstract reporting interim
`
`observations on a single ongoing Phase II clinical trial with the compound
`
`temsirolimus—not everolimus. Ex. 1011, Duran at 3096; Ex. 2001, Kulke Decl.
`
`¶ 40. The trial was conducted in patients with neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs)
`
`that were metastatic (i.e., advanced tumors that had spread to distant sites in the
`
`
`
` For example, in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, one of the tumor types
`
` 2
`
`disclosed in O’Donnell, systemically administered chemotherapy “had been
`
`disappointing.” Ex. 2010, Padzur at 330.
`
`15
`
`
`
`

`
`
`
`body). Ex. 1011,

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