Angiotech win at the EPO

It has just been announced that Angiotech have succeeded in their appeal to have their European patent application finally approved, after 12 years of proceedings at the EPO.

The patent, relating to Taxol-coated stents (right), had been the subject of opposition by Conor Medsystems, who had appealed the opposition division's decision in favour of Angiotech but failed due to their appeal being inadmissible.

This Kat presumes that this will not affect the status of the EP(UK) part of the patent, which was revoked by Jacob LJ (see previous posts here, here and here). The UK is looking like the odd man out, given the EPO's decision and the decision in the parallel proceedings in the Netherlands.

All about stents here, here and here. All about tents here.