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`
`
`
`IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`___________________
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`___________________
`
`
`AMNEAL PHARMACEUTICALS LLC AND
`AMNEAL PHARMACEUTICALS OF NEW YORK, LLC,
`Petitioners,
`
`v.
`
`ALMIRALL, LLC,
`Patent Owner.
`
`___________________
`
`Case IPR2019-00207
`U.S. Patent No. 9,517,219
`___________________
`
`PETITIONERS’ MOTION TO EXCLUDE EVIDENCE
`
`
`
`Mail Stop “PATENT BOARD”
`Patent Trial and Appeal Board
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`Case IPR2019-00207
`Patent 9,517,219 B2
`
`
`Petitioners Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC and Amneal Pharmaceuticals of
`
`New York, LLC (“Amneal”) file this motion pursuant to 37 C.F.R. §§ 42.62 and
`
`42.64(c) and in accordance with Due Date 5 of the Scheduling Order (Paper 14).
`
`Amneal requests exclusion of Exhibits 2010-2011, 2013, 2017-2018, 2021, 2024,
`
`2026-2027, 2029, 2032, 2038-2040, and 2050-2052; pages 289-293 of Exhibit
`
`1017; paragraphs 1-19, 21-22, 83-93, 95, 98-100, 102-105, and 113-114 of Exhibit
`
`2055; and paragraphs 1-37, 87-88, 109, 173-174, 165, 175-181, 190, 192-194 and
`
`197 of Exhibit 2057, each of which it timely objected to through written
`
`Objections to Evidence.
`
`The Federal Rules of Evidence (FRE) govern the admissibility of evidence
`
`in inter partes review proceedings. See 37 C.F.R. § 42.62. As shown herein, the
`
`challenged exhibits contain irrelevant information under FRE 401, 402, and 403,
`
`improper expert testimony under FRE 702 and 703, and hearsay under FRE 801
`
`and 802. Accordingly, the Board should exclude the objected-to exhibits in their
`
`entirety for the reasons that follow.
`
`It is not enough for the Board to find that this Motion is moot if the Board
`
`does not rely on the inadmissible evidence in reaching its Final Written Decision.
`
`If the exhibits and paragraphs identified herein remain in the record, Almirall could
`
`continue to rely upon them on appeal, and Amneal would be unfairly forced to
`
`address them again.
`
`
`
`- 2 -
`
`

`

`Case IPR2019-00207
`Patent 9,517,219 B2
`
`
`ARGUMENT
`
`I. MULTIPLE EXHIBITS AND PARAGRAPHS OF EXPERT
`DECLARATIONS ARE NOT RELEVANT AND/OR ARE
`PREJUDICIAL.
`
`Almirall submitted several exhibits that it failed to cite in its Patent Owner’s
`
`Response or Sur-Reply, rendering them irrelevant and/or prejudicial. Exhibits
`
`2010-2011, 2013, 2017-2018, 2021, 2024, 2026-2027, 2029, 2032, 2038-2040, and
`
`2050-2052 appear nowhere in either Almirall’s Response or Sur-reply and only
`
`appear buried in its expert declarations (Exhibits 2055 and 2057) submitted with
`
`the Response.
`
`Evidence is relevant if it “has a tendency to make a fact more or less
`
`probable than it would be without the evidence” and “the fact is of consequence in
`
`determining the action.” See FRE 401. Almirall’s failure to cite Exhibits 2010-
`
`2011, 2013, 2017-2018, 2021, 2024, 2026-2027, 2029, 2032, 2038-2040, and
`
`2050-2052 demonstrates that these exhibits do not have a tendency to make any
`
`fact of consequence more or less probable. If these exhibits were relevant to this
`
`proceeding, Almirall should have cited them in the Response or Sur-reply. This
`
`evidence is, therefore, inadmissible as irrelevant. See FRE 402 (“Irrelevant
`
`evidence is not admissible.”).
`
`If this evidence was actually submitted for the Board to consider, then this
`
`evidence should be excluded under FRE 403 as unfairly prejudicial. Exhibits 2010-
`
`
`
`- 3 -
`
`

`

`Case IPR2019-00207
`Patent 9,517,219 B2
`
`2011, 2013, 2017-2018, 2021, 2024, 2026-2027, 2029, 2032, 2038-2040, and
`
`2050-2052 were not cited or discussed in the Response or Sur-reply, so Almirall
`
`would have overshot the word limits of its Patent Owner’s Response and its Sur-
`
`reply had these exhibits been appropriately cited and discussed. Because
`
`“[a]rguments must not be incorporated by reference from one document into
`
`another document,” 37 C.F.R. § 42.6(a)(3), any attempt by Almirall to reply upon
`
`these exhibits is prejudicial to Amneal. Amneal has followed the Board’s rules
`
`throughout this proceeding, and would be prejudiced if Almirall is allowed to
`
`disregard those rules and incorporate this information by reference.
`
`Additionally, paragraphs 1-19, 21-22, 83-93, 95, 98-100, 102-105, and 113-
`
`114 of Exhibit 2055, and paragraphs 1-37, 87-88, 109, 173-174, and 197 of Exhibit
`
`2057 are likewise irrelevant and/or prejudicial. These paragraphs are not cited in
`
`either Almirall’s Response or Sur-Reply. As with the improper exhibits, Almirall
`
`should have cited these paragraphs in its Response or Sur-reply if they were
`
`relevant. Almirall chose not to cite those paragraphs, so they must now be
`
`excluded from the record pursuant to FRE 401 and 402. Also of note, it is highly
`
`unlikely that Almirall could have properly discussed the omitted paragraphs in the
`
`space it had left in its Response or Sur-reply. If these paragraphs were relevant,
`
`Almirall’s attempt to incorporate them into the Response or Sur-reply should be
`
`rejected as prejudicial under FRE 403.
`
`
`
`- 4 -
`
`

`

`Case IPR2019-00207
`Patent 9,517,219 B2
`
`
`Accordingly, Exhibits 2010-2011, 2013, 2017-2018, 2021, 2024, 2026-2027,
`
`2029, 2032, 2038-2040, and 2050-2052; paragraphs 1-19, 21-22, 83-93, 95, 98-
`
`100, 102-105, and 113-114 of Exhibit 2055; and paragraphs 1-37, 87-88, 109, 173-
`
`174, and 197 of Exhibit 2057 should be excluded as irrelevant and/or prejudicial.
`
`II. THE WARNER DECLARATION IN EXHIBIT 1017 AND DR.
`OSBORNE’S RELIANCE ON THE WARNER DECLARATION IN
`EXHIBIT 2057 ARE INADMISSIBLE HEARSAY.
`
`Almirall’s expert declarant, Dr. Osborne, relies on a declaration from co-
`
`inventor Kevin Warner (pages 289-293 of Exhibit 1017, herein “Warner
`
`Declaration”) as the sole evidence of alleged unexpected results. Amneal had no
`
`opportunity to cross-examine Dr. Warner on his declaration because Almirall did
`
`not offer Dr. Warner for deposition in the first instance and Almirall then violated
`
`the Board’s December 31, 2019 order by failing to provide Dr. Warner for
`
`deposition before January 17, 2020. Without the opportunity to cross-examine Dr.
`
`Warner, his declaration is inadmissible out-of-court testimony used for its truth and
`
`should be excluded.
`
`The Warner Declaration (Exhibit 1017, 289-293) is inadmissible hearsay
`
`under FRE 801 and 802. The Warner Declaration contains out-of-court statements
`
`from Dr. Warner about his observations of dapsone compositions that were not
`
`under oath and were not subject to cross-examination. Ex. 1017, 289-293. Almirall
`
`relies upon this document for its truth—that one embodiment of the ’219 patent’s
`
`
`
`- 5 -
`
`

`

`Case IPR2019-00207
`Patent 9,517,219 B2
`
`claims exhibits unexpected results. See POR at 59-64. Almirall’s expert declarant,
`
`Dr. Osborne, also relies upon the Warner Declaration for its truth. See Ex. 2057 at
`
`¶¶165, 175-181, 190, and 192-194 (opining that the “statements and evidence in
`
`Dr. Kevin Warner’s declaration show unexpected results”). Indeed, Dr. Osborne
`
`testified that he had no personal knowledge of what Dr. Warner described in the
`
`Warner Declaration, and that Dr. Osborne was solely reliant upon Dr. Warner for
`
`any purported unexpected results. Ex. 1040, 76:23-86:13.
`
`To date, Amneal has not had an opportunity to subject the declarant (Dr.
`
`Warner) to cross examination.1 This is important because the Board previously
`
`found that it was beyond speculation that something useful would be discovered
`
`from Dr. Warner’s deposition. See Paper 39, 4-5. And based on the fact that
`
`something useful would come from Dr. Warner’s deposition, Amneal sought Dr.
`
`Warner’s deposition in September 2019. Ex. 1036, 4. Almirall refused to provide
`
`him. Ex. 1036, 2. Amneal then moved for additional discovery, which the Board
`
`1 In violation of the Board’s December 31, 2019 order to provide Dr. Warner for
`deposition by January 17, Almirall was only able to offer Dr. Warner for
`deposition on January 30—slightly more than a week before the February 7 oral
`hearing. This date is unacceptable as it is incredibly prejudicial to Amneal.
`Conducting Dr. Warner’s deposition on January 30 does not give the parties
`sufficient time to meaningfully engage in the supplemental briefing on unexpected
`results that the Board ordered and to get those briefs to the Board in sufficient time
`before the hearing for the Board to consider them. See Paper 39. This prejudice is
`entirely of Almirall’s making, as it has been aware that Amneal sought Dr.
`Warner’s deposition since September 2019 yet appears to have first contacted the
`witnesses eight days after the Board’s December 31 order. See AMN1077.
`
`
`
`- 6 -
`
`

`

`Case IPR2019-00207
`Patent 9,517,219 B2
`
`granted, ordering Almirall to provide Dr. Warner for deposition by January 17,
`
`2020. Paper 39, 8-9. Almirall failed to comply with the Board’s order.
`
`No hearsay exception applies to Almirall’s reliance on the Warner
`
`Declaration. In fact, given Almirall’s heavy reliance on the Warner Declaration
`
`coupled with Almirall’s repeated unwillingness to provide Dr. Warner for
`
`deposition, Almirall appears to be trying to shield Dr. Warner from scrutiny.
`
`In addition to the Warner Declaration, Dr. Osborne, in paragraphs 165, 175-
`
`181, 190, and 192-194 of Exhibit 2057, relies solely on the Warner Declaration for
`
`the truth of the matter asserted (i.e., that purported unexpected results exist), and is
`
`therefore inadmissible under FRE 801, 802, and 805. Dr. Osborne had no personal
`
`knowledge of the information in the Warner Declaration, so Almirall cannot
`
`simply have Dr. Osborne regurgitate Dr. Warner to avoid the prohibition on
`
`hearsay. Again, no hearsay exception applies.
`
`To the extent the Board does not exclude the Warner Declaration or
`
`paragraphs 165, 175-181, 190, and 192-194 of Exhibit 2057, because Almirall did
`
`not produce Dr. Warner for cross-examination at deposition the Board should give
`
`the Warner Declaration little to no weight as Amneal has not been offered a fair
`
`opportunity to challenge his testimony. See Fed. R. Evid. 801 and 802.
`
`
`
`- 7 -
`
`

`

`Case IPR2019-00207
`Patent 9,517,219 B2
`
`III. PARAGRAPHS 165, 175-181, 190, AND 192-194 OF DR. OSBORNE’S
`DECLARATION
`(EXHIBIT 2057) ARE IMPROPER EXPERT
`TESTIMONY.
`
`Paragraphs 165, 175-181, 190, and 192-194 of Exhibit 2057 should be
`
`excluded as improper expert testimony under FRE 702 and 703. Under FRE 702,
`
`an expert may testify in the form of an opinion if (a) the expert’s specialized
`
`knowledge will help determine a fact in issue; (b) the testimony is based on
`
`sufficient facts or data; (c) the testimony is the product of reliable principles and
`
`methods; and (d) the expert has reliably applied those principles and methods to
`
`the facts of the case. Under Rule 703, an expert may base an opinion on facts or
`
`data that the expert has been made aware of or personally observed.
`
`Dr. Osborne relies solely on the Warner Declaration for his opinions as to
`
`purported unexpected results. But the Warner Declaration has critical flaws: (1) it
`
`does not disclose what is meant by Dr. Warner’s statement that the prior art
`
`dapsone compositions show purported “undesired polymer aggregates” or the basis
`
`on which that determination was made, and (2) it does not disclose how the
`
`dapsone compositions described in the Warner Declaration were prepared even
`
`though the prior art informs that the preparation method will impact both polymer
`
`aggregation and particle size. At his deposition, Dr. Osborne did not know the
`
`missing information. See Ex. 1040, 76:23-86:13. Nor did Dr. Osborne know who
`
`actually conducted the testing described in the Warner Declaration (the declaration
`
`
`
`- 8 -
`
`

`

`Case IPR2019-00207
`Patent 9,517,219 B2
`
`simply says that testing was conducted under Dr. Warner’s “supervision”), nor
`
`what their level of skill was. See Ex. 1040, 107:15-108:15. Crucially, Dr. Osborne
`
`conceded that there was additional information he would have liked to know about
`
`the Warner Declaration. See Ex. 1040, 108:11-15.
`
`Given (1) Dr. Osborne’s heavy reliance on the Warner Declaration as the
`
`sole piece of evidence for any purported unexpected results coupled with (2) the
`
`deficiencies in the Warner Declaration and (3) Dr. Osborne’s lack of personal
`
`knowledge about the missing information, Dr. Osborne’s testimony does not
`
`disclose the underlying facts or data to properly provide expert testimony. And for
`
`these same reasons, Dr. Osborne similarly has not shown that his opinions on
`
`purported unexpected results are the product of reliable principles and methods or
`
`that he reliably applied those principles and methods to the facts of the case.
`
`Additionally, Almirall nor Dr. Osborne have shown that the scant
`
`information from the Warner Declaration, that Dr. Osborne even admits lacks
`
`information he would like to see, is the type of information that experts in the field
`
`would rely on in forming an opinion, as required by FRE 703.
`
`Therefore, Exhibit 2057 is inadmissible under FRE 702 and 703 and should
`
`be excluded. Even if Dr. Osborne’s opinions on purported unexpected results are
`
`not excluded, such expert testimony that does not disclose the underlying facts or
`
`data is entitled to “little or no weight.” See 37 CFR § 42.65(a).
`
`
`
`- 9 -
`
`

`

`Case IPR2019-00207
`Patent 9,517,219 B2
`
`IV. CONCLUSION
`For the foregoing reasons, the challenged evidence does not meet the
`
`threshold for admissibility and should be excluded from the record.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`STERNE, KESSLER, GOLDSTEIN & FOX P.L.L.C.
`
`Respectfully submitted,
`
`
`Date: January 17, 2020
`1100 New York Avenue, N.W.
`Washington, D.C. 20005-3934
`(202) 371-2600
`
`
`
`
`
`Dennies Varughese (Reg. No. 61,868)
`Lead Attorney for Petitioners
`
`
`
`
`
`- 10 -
`
`

`

`Case IPR2019-00207
`Patent 9,517,219 B2
`
`
`CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE (37 C.F.R. § 42.6(e))
`
`
`
`The undersigned hereby certifies that the above-captioned “Petitioners’
`
`Motion To Exclude Evidence” was served in its entirety on January 17, 2020, upon
`
`the following parties via electronic mail:
`
`
`
`James Trainor
`
`
`RJ Shea
`
`FENWICK & WEST LLP
`902 Broadway, Suite 14
`New York, NY 10010
`
`Telephone (212) 430-2600
`Facsimile (650)938-5200
`jtrainor@fenwick.com
`rshea@fenwick.com
`
`Jennifer R. Bush
`FENWICK & WEST LLP
`801 California Street
`Mountain View, CA 94041
`Telephone (650) 988-8500
`Facsimile (650) 938-5200
`jbush@fenwick.com
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Elizabeth B. Hagan
`FENWICK & WEST LLP
`1191 Second Avenue, 10th Floor
`Seattle, WA 98101
`Telephone (206) 389-4510
`Facsimile (206)389-4511
`ehagan@fenwick.com
`
`
`STERNE, KESSLER, GOLDSTEIN & FOX L.L.C.
`
`Dennies Varughese, Pharm.D.
`Date: January 17, 2020
`1100 New York Avenue, N.W. Registration No. 61,868
`Washington, D.C. 20005-3934
`Lead Attorney for Petitioners
`(202) 371-2600
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`- 11 -
`
`

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