`
`
`CIVIL ACTION NUMBER:
` 12-2867(MLC)
`MARKMAN HEARING
`
`UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
`FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY
`__________________________________
`HELSINN HEALTHCARE, S.A. and
`ROCHE PALO ALTO, LLC,
` Plaintiffs,
` -vs-
`DR. REDDY'S LABORATORIES, LTD.,
`et al.,
` Defendants.
`__________________________________
` Clarkson S. Fisher United States Courthouse
` 402 East State Street
` Trenton, New Jersey 08608
` October 21, 2014
`B E F O R E: THE HONORABLE MARY L. COOPER
`
`UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
`
`Certified as True and Correct as required by Title 28, U.S.C.,
`Section 753
`
`/S/ Regina A. Berenato-Tell, RMR, CRR, CCR
`
`United States District Court
`Trenton, New Jersey
`
`1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
`
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
`Helsinn Healthcare Exhibit 2022
`Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Ltd., et al. v. Helsinn Healthcare S.A.
`Trial PGR2016-00007
`
`Page 1 of 4
`
`
`
`A P P E A R A N C E S:
`
`PAUL HASTINGS
`
`BY: JOSEPH O'MALLEY, ESQUIRE
`
` ERIC W. DITTMANN, ESQUIRE
`
`SAUL EWING
`
`BY: CHARLES M. LIZZA, ESQUIRE
`
`Attorneys for the Plaintiffs
`
`BUDD LARNER
`
`BY: STUART D. SENDER, ESQUIRE
`
` MICHAEL H. IMBACUAN, ESQUIRE
`
` KENNETH E. CROWELL
`
`Attorneys for the Defendant, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories
`
`United States District Court
`Trenton, New Jersey
`
`I N D E X
`
`WITNESS DIRECT CROSS REDIRECT RECROSS
`
`CHRISTIAN SCHÖNEICH
`By Mr. Ditttmann 14
`By Mr. Sender 59
`
`ROBERT HANCOCK
`By Mr. Imbacuan 93 171
`By Mr. O'Malley 146 173
`
`United States District Court
`Trenton, New Jersey
`
`2
`
`3
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
`Colloquy
`
`4
`
`TRENTON, NEW JERSEY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2014, 9:30 A.M.
`
`(In open court.)
`
`THE COURT: Good morning, everyone.
`
`Hello. Welcome back. Let's begin with appearances.
`
`And today we are on Helsinn versus Dr. Reddy's, which has
`
`docket number 12-2867, having to do with one claim term in the
`
`'724 patent.
`
`I'll take your appearances. Everyone else please be
`
`seated.
`
`MR. LIZZA: Good morning, Your Honor. Charles M.
`
`Lizza of the Saul Ewing firm for the plaintiffs, Helsinn
`
`Healthcare and Roche Palo Alto.
`
`MR. O'MALLEY: Good morning, Your Honor. Joe
`
`O'Malley, Paul Hastings, also appearing for plaintiffs.
`
`MR. DITTMANN: And Eric Dittman, also from Paul
`
`Hastings, on behalf of plaintiffs.
`
`MR. SENDER: Stewart Sender from Budd Larner for Dr.
`
`Reddy's.
`
`MR. IMBACUAN: Michael Imbacuan from Budd Larner for
`
`Dr. Reddy's.
`
`MR. CROWELL: And Ken Crowell from Budd Larner for
`
`Dr. Reddy's.
`
`THE COURT: Fine. Thank you.
`
`All right. And, Mr. Lizza, thank you for your letter,
`
`which everybody, I guess, joins in. It was helpful yesterday.
`
`United States District Court
`
`Trenton, New Jersey
`
`Colloquy
`
`5
`
`And we can begin with the five-minute introduction from
`
`plaintiffs.
`
`MR. O'MALLEY: Thank you, Your Honor.
`
`THE COURT: Yes. Mr. O'Malley?
`
`MR. O'MALLEY: I have a couple copies of my intro
`
`slides I can hand up.
`
`THE COURT: Okay. Thank you. Is somebody going to
`
`be time keeper for us, today? Somebody who is not up to bat,
`
`so they can just concentrate on that?
`
`MR. LIZZA: I can do it, Your Honor.
`
`MR. O'MALLEY: Good morning. Again, we want to give
`
`about a five-minute overview of the evidence you're going to
`
`be hearing today. We're going to introduce you to Dr.
`
`Schöneich in a minute, but in summary fashion, we're going to
`
`argue that our construction is the long established ordinary
`
`and customary meaning of "chelating agent." I don't think
`
`there's very serious dispute about that.
`
`In order to get to the defendant's construction you
`
`have to read in limitations from the patent specification,
`
`they say from the context of the patent. We'll argue to you
`
`that that law does not permit that, except in rare cases that
`
`aren't present here. We'll say once you accept, or if you
`
`accepted our constructions, the ordinary and customary
`
`meaning, there's nothing in the specification or the
`
`prosecution history that evinces a disavowal of any portion of
`
`United States District Court
`
`Trenton, New Jersey
`
`1
`
`2
`
`3
`
`4
`
`5
`
`6
`
`7
`
`8 9
`
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
`1 2 3 4
`
`5 6
`
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
`Page 2 of 4
`
`
`
`Schöneich - Direct - Dittmann
`
`Schöneich - Direct - Dittmann
`
`46
`
`48
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
`THE COURT: Would these be micelles of the API, the
`
`active pharmaceutical ingredient, or some other ingredient in
`
`a composition?
`
`THE WITNESS: So, in this case I think they refer to
`
`the API, and that's the reason why I put a positive charge on
`
`here, because the API likely carries a positive charge.
`
`THE COURT: But "micelle" is sort of a general term
`
`when this kind of arrangement happens?
`
`THE WITNESS: Yes. Micelles can form with many
`
`different molecules.
`
`THE COURT: Okay.
`
`THE WITNESS: And that's why I like to use this
`
`picture here because it is a more traditional view of a
`
`micelle.
`
`THE COURT: It looks like a wreath. That's pretty.
`
`THE WITNESS: So, as I said, we have these polar head
`
`groups, the positively-charged head groups, and now EDTA, the
`
`chelating agent, comes in. And I purposely gave EDTA the
`
`charge negative 2 here. You see that because of electrostatic
`
`interactions, the positively-charged head groups, and the
`
`negatively-charged molecule, that EDTA can bind to these polar
`
`head groups, and that is a binding very similar to what the
`
`Brauer reference articulated when EDTA bound to that protein.
`
`THE COURT: You said you gave it a negative 2 value
`
`to the EDTA. Does that indicate that there are two places
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
`And, so, this is, of course, an animation which only
`
`illustrates that point. If these polar head groups reorient
`
`themselves around EDTA that may suffice to break up the
`
`micelle structure.
`
`THE COURT: Break up the clumps?
`
`THE WITNESS: Yes.
`
`THE COURT: Right.
`
`BY MR. DITTMANN:
`
`Q.
`
`Just to make sure we all understand, Dr. Schöneich, in
`
`this scenario postulated by the inventors, the chelating agent
`
`is affecting the stability of the system through not binding
`
`with metals and not any sort of chelation binding or function;
`
`is that correct?
`
`A.
`
`Q.
`
`Very likely not, yes.
`
`Now, did you perform a --
`
`THE COURT: But it is helping stability?
`
`THE WITNESS: Yes.
`
`THE COURT: Because it is interfering with clumping
`
`in the bottle?
`
`THE WITNESS: Yes.
`
`THE COURT: Right?
`
`MR. DITTMANN: Yes.
`
`BY MR. DITTMANN:
`
`Q.
`
`Did you perform a mechanistic analysis to confirm whether
`
`the inventor's micelle theory actually happens in palonosetron
`
`United States District Court
`
`Trenton, New Jersey
`
`United States District Court
`
`Trenton, New Jersey
`
`47
`
`49
`
`Schöneich - Direct - Dittmann
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
`Schöneich - Direct - Dittmann
`
`where it can bond even to this positively-charged unit?
`
`THE WITNESS: No, there are more, but the negative 2
`
`is just a net charge of the molecule.
`
`THE COURT: So, it is the power?
`
`THE WITNESS: It is equivalent to a power, let's say,
`
`yes. And this negative charge comes from the fact that EDTA
`
`contains functional groups which can exist in different
`
`protonation states.
`
`THE COURT: It is not chelating, though, when it is
`
`doing that kind of binding?
`
`THE WITNESS: In this case it is not chelating, no.
`
`THE COURT: It is binding to the individual molecule
`
`at one point?
`
`THE WITNESS: Likely one, but maybe two, and in this
`
`case --
`
`matter.
`
`THE COURT: But not in a chelation type --
`
`THE WITNESS: It may be chelating, but it doesn't
`
`THE COURT: It doesn't matter. There's no metal?
`
`There's no metal, is that what you're saying?
`
`THE WITNESS: There's no metal involved in this
`
`interaction. And, so, we have this electrostatic interaction,
`
`and now we have a different force present. While initially
`
`this polar head group interacted like this, and the lipophilic
`
`tails interacted like this, they could reorient themselves.
`
`United States District Court
`
`Trenton, New Jersey
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
`solutions?
`
`A.
`
`Q.
`
`A.
`
`I did not perform a detailed mechanistic analysis.
`
`And why is that?
`
`I had no doubt about their theory. It is actually a very
`
`credible theory, and for me it was just important at that
`
`point to see that it supported my opinion put forward of what
`
`a chelating agent is.
`
`THE COURT: One moment, Mr. Dittmann. Before
`
`cross-examination we will be taking a recess, so nobody is to
`
`worry that you just have to roll on right into cross.
`
`MR. DITTMANN: Thank you.
`
`BY MR. DITTMANN:
`
`Q.
`
`And, so, again what you gleaned from the micelle theory,
`
`the importance of what the inventors said in terms of what
`
`they thought the chelating agent was doing, correct?
`
`A.
`
`Q.
`
`Yes.
`
`Did you consider the portion of the prosecution history
`
`that was relied upon by Dr. Reddy's discussing the '333
`
`patent?
`
`A.
`
`Q.
`
`Yes.
`
`And is this the May 24th, 2010, appeal brief that is in
`
`Tab 14 of your binder?
`
`A.
`
`Q.
`
`Yes.
`
`Do you have a slide summarizing your analysis of this
`
`document?
`
`United States District Court
`
`Trenton, New Jersey
`
`Page 3 of 4
`
`
`
`50
`
`52
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
`Schöneich - Direct - Dittmann
`
`A.
`
`Yes. And that's on the next slide.
`
`So, in the Berger patent the inventors had included
`
`citric acid, and there was no indication in this reference
`
`that the citric acid had a function anything else than being a
`
`buffer. There was no stability issue with the formulation,
`
`and that's why I think it is correct that EDTA -- in this
`
`case, basically, citric acid was not functioning as a metal
`
`binding agent, but it really was perceived as functioning as a
`
`buffer.
`
`Q.
`
`And those statements were made based on what the '333
`
`patent disclosed to a POSA, correct?
`
`A.
`
`Q.
`
`Yes, that is correct.
`
`Now, is citric acid a chelating agent under your
`
`definition of that term?
`
`A.
`
`Q.
`
`Citric acid is clearly a chelating agent.
`
`Can you explain how it is that the inventors were not
`
`changing the ordinary meaning of the word "chelating agent"
`
`through their discussion of the '333 patent?
`
`A.
`
`Because to a POSA there was absolutely no indication that
`
`citric acid was being used as a chelator in this patent.
`
`Q.
`
`Dr. Schöneich, could you for the Court just summarize,
`
`you know, do the '724 patent claims, the specification, or
`
`prosecution history alter in any way the ordinary meaning of
`
`"chelating agent" as used in the '724 patent?
`
`A.
`
`They don't alter the ordinary meaning.
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
`Schöneich - Direct - Dittmann
`
`molecules present.
`
`BY MR. DITTMANN:
`
`Q.
`
`I'm sorry, you mentioned, also, that Dr. Reddy's
`
`construction was vague in your view. Can you explain that?
`
`A.
`
`Yes. There's vagueness concerning the term "stable"
`
`because I don't really understand why the word "stable" has
`
`been introduced in this definition. I have no problem with
`
`"stable" if it is limited to inherent stability of the bond,
`
`but it is not clear whether "stable" has any other meaning in
`
`this definition.
`
`Q.
`
`So, is what you're saying, Dr. Schöneich, that the
`
`chelated complexes we see up on this definition has an
`
`inherent stability, correct?
`
`A.
`
`Q.
`
`A chelated complex has an inherent stability, yes.
`
`So, your point is that by adding the word "stable" in
`
`front of that it injects confusion as to what that means?
`
`A.
`
`Q.
`
`A.
`
`Q.
`
`Yes.
`
`Beyond possibly the inherent stability of the bond?
`
`Yes.
`
`Are there any other portions of Dr. Reddy's proposed
`
`construction that is vague in your view?
`
`A.
`
`In my opinion it is the reference to trace metals because
`
`if you set up a definition I think you ought to give at least
`
`some specifics as to what you mean with trace metals, and in
`
`this case probably also state which metals you mean or if you
`
`United States District Court
`
`United States District Court
`
`Trenton, New Jersey
`
`Trenton, New Jersey
`
`Schöneich - Direct - Dittmann
`
`Schöneich - Direct - Dittmann
`
`51
`
`53
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
`Q.
`
`Do you understand that Dr. Reddy's has proposed a
`
`different definition of the word "chelating agent" in this
`
`case?
`
`A.
`
`Q.
`
`A.
`
`Q.
`
`Yes.
`
`Is this the proposed construction seen on Slide 36?
`
`Yes.
`
`And what is your opinion with respect to this proposed
`
`construction?
`
`A.
`
`It is my opinion that this proposed definition is overly
`
`restrictive in some aspects and vague in other aspects.
`
`Q.
`
`And can you explain how Dr. Reddy's definition is overly
`
`restrictive in your view?
`
`A.
`
`Well, that definition contains reference to an aqueous
`
`liquid pharmaceutical formulation, and as I hope that I could
`
`show you in this presentation, chelation is not restricted to
`
`aqueous liquid pharmaceutical formation.
`
`There is also the restriction that the multidentate
`
`ligand has to form chelates, and I think, as I could show you
`
`in this presentation, chelating agents don't always have to
`
`form chelated complex in order to have some function.
`
`THE COURT: That would be true even if there are
`
`metal ions floating around in there?
`
`THE WITNESS: Well, there could be some metal ions,
`
`and the chelating agent could be bound to some metal ions but
`
`still does the other function with other parts of the
`
`United States District Court
`
`Trenton, New Jersey
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
`mean all metals that may be present in the solution.
`
`Q.
`
`I want to focus just a little bit on that last point you
`
`just made. Do certain chelating agents bind only to different
`
`metal ions depending on the conditions?
`
`A.
`
`I understand that this is a very active area of research
`
`where synthetic chemists try to build molecules which bind
`
`only to certain types of metals. So, it is possible that
`
`chelating agents bind only to certain types of metals.
`
`Q.
`
`And how does this fact impact your opinion with respect
`
`to Dr. Reddy's claim construction?
`
`A.
`
`Well, it really would have -- it really would mean that a
`
`POSA at first has to analyze what type of metals are present
`
`in a solution and, also, would have to know how much metals
`
`are present in the solution, whether it is traces, and I would
`
`say even understand what a trace could be.
`
`Q.
`
`So, Dr. Schöneich, just to conclude, could you please,
`
`once again, summarize your opinion regarding --
`
`THE COURT: Could I get a question in because it
`
`sounds like you might be wrapping up, yes?
`
`MR. DITTMANN: Yes.
`
`THE COURT: Okay. This patent itself, it is in the
`
`abstract. Do you have your copy with you, Doctor?
`
`THE WITNESS: Sure. You mean the '333 or the '724?
`
`THE COURT: The '724.
`
`THE WITNESS: Yes.
`
`United States District Court
`
`Trenton, New Jersey
`
`Page 4 of 4