Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Pharma Anton Pillar raids in the Philippines





Few civil search and seizure orders are made in SE Asian countries so a Philippines pharmaceutical patent case is a great example of its use. Etoricoxib is an anti-inflammatory drug made by international pharma company MSD (a.k.a. Merck & Co. Inc. in North America). Etoricoxib is patented and protected in the Philippines by a patent valid until 2022.

MSD began a civil litigation case against infringers of its patent. A civil search and seizure request was filed with the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 24. The order was then executed through raids. This involved both the court sheriff and the Philippine National Police's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group. The raids took place in June at Mark Ericson and Ferma drugstores in Rizal and Isabela provinces. The Sheriffs seized the infringing medicines which were branded Torico and Xibra which are believed to infringe the Merck patent.

The matter will now return to the Manila Regional Trial Court for the civil case to continue. 

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