Tag: CAFC
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AMP Plus v. DMF: A Closer Look at Obviousness Analysis
On March 19, 2025, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued its decision in AMP Plus, Inc. v. DMF, Inc., affirming the Patent Trial and Appeal Board’s (PTAB) ruling that AMP Plus, doing business as ELCO Lighting, failed to prove claim 22 of U.S. Patent No. 9,964,266 was unpatentable as obvious.…
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Dollar Financial v. Brittex: Trademark Cancellation on Priority, Likelihood of Confusion, and the Zone of Natural Expansion
In Dollar Financial Group, Inc. v. Brittex Financial, Inc., the Federal Circuit affirmed the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board’s (TTAB) partial cancellation of two MONEY MART trademark registrations, addressing critical issues in trademark law, including priority of use, the likelihood of confusion, and the limitations of the zone of natural expansion doctrine. This case highlights…
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Realtek v. ITC: Federal Circuit Finds ITC Sanctions Inaction Unreviewable
In a decision that highlights the limits of judicial review over agency discretion, the Federal Circuit dismissed Realtek Semiconductor Corporation’s appeal against the International Trade Commission (ITC). The case, Realtek Semiconductor Corporation v. International Trade Commission, centered on the ITC’s refusal to issue a show-cause order against DivX, LLC in an investigation concerning patent infringement…
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Regeneron v. Amgen: Patent Infringement and Biologic Formulations
On March 14, 2025, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued a decision in Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. v. Amgen Inc., affirming the district court’s denial of a preliminary injunction sought by Regeneron. This ruling is significant in the realm of the biologic pharmaceutical industry, as it centers on claim construction and…
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In re Xencor: Written Description and Preamble Limitations
On March 13, 2025, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued a decision in In re Xencor, Inc., affirming the rejection of Xencor’s patent application for failing to meet the written description requirement under 35 U.S.C. § 112. This case raises important considerations regarding patent claim construction, particularly the treatment of…
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Merck v. Aurobindo: Patent Term Extensions and Reissued Patents
Introduction The Federal Circuit recently issued a significant ruling in Merck Sharp & Dohme B.V. v. Aurobindo Pharma USA, Inc., clarifying how patent term extensions (PTEs) apply to reissued patents under the Hatch-Waxman Act. The court upheld the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s (PTO) decision to calculate the PTE for a reissued patent based on…
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Trademark Showdown: Bullshine Distillery v. Sazerac Brands and the FIREBALL Controversy
On March 12, 2025, the Federal Circuit handed down its decision in Bullshine Distillery LLC v. Sazerac Brands, LLC, a case that highlights fundamental principles in trademark law, particularly the concepts of genericness and likelihood of confusion under the Lanham Act. The court affirmed the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board’s (TTAB) ruling that Sazerac’s FIREBALL…
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Sierra Wireless v. Sisvel: (Dis)Qualification of Expert Witnesses in the PTAB
In its March 10, 2025 decision in Sierra Wireless, ULC v. Sisvel S.p.A., the Federal Circuit vacated a Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) decision due, in part, to the improper reliance on an expert witness who was not shown to possess the qualifications of a person of ordinary skill in the art (POSITA). For…
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Federal Circuit Vacates PTAB Decision in CQV Co. v. Merck Patent GmbH, Raising Key Issues in Patent Infringement and Prior Art Analysis
The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit recently issued an opinion in CQV Co., Ltd. v. Merck Patent GmbH, vacating and remanding the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) decision regarding U.S. Patent No. 10,647,861. The ruling focuses on key legal issues related to patent infringement, prior art determination, and procedural fairness…
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Federal Circuit Revives Patent Infringement Case Over Quick-Release Tactical Vest System
In a recent decision, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit vacated a district court’s summary judgment ruling of noninfringement in IQRIS Technologies LLC v. Point Blank Enterprises, Inc., and National Molding, Inc. The ruling focuses on a dispute over the proper interpretation of the term “pull cord” in IQRIS Technologies’ patents…