DCT

1:20-cv-00985

Acadia Pharma Inc v. Aurobindo Pharma Ltd

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I. Executive Summary and Procedural Information

  • Parties & Counsel:
  • Case Identification: 1:20-cv-00985, D. Del., 04/09/2021
  • Venue Allegations: Venue is alleged to be proper in the District of Delaware because Defendant Aurobindo USA, Inc. is a Delaware corporation and thus resides in the district. Venue over Aurobindo Pharma Limited is alleged based on its subsidiary’s presence and business activities within the district.
  • Core Dispute: Plaintiff alleges that Defendants’ filing of an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) to market a generic version of Plaintiff’s drug NUPLAZID® constitutes an act of infringement of five U.S. patents related to the pimavanserin compound, its specific crystalline salt forms, and pharmaceutical formulations thereof.
  • Technical Context: The technology concerns pimavanserin, an atypical antipsychotic agent approved for the treatment of hallucinations and delusions associated with Parkinson's disease psychosis.
  • Key Procedural History: This is a Hatch-Waxman action initiated under 35 U.S.C. § 271(e)(2) after Plaintiff received notice letters regarding Defendants’ ANDA No. 214782. The notice letters included a Paragraph IV certification, asserting that the patents-in-suit are invalid or would not be infringed by the proposed generic product. The patents-in-suit are listed in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s "Orange Book" as covering NUPLAZID®.

Case Timeline

Date Event
2003-01-16 Priority Date for ’740 Patent
2004-09-27 Priority Date for ’615 Patent
2009-10-13 ’740 Patent Issued
2010-06-08 ’615 Patent Issued
2017-08-30 Priority Date for ’185, ’480, and ’891 Patents
2019-10-22 ’185 Patent Issued
2020-05-12 ’480 Patent Issued
2020-06-10 Plaintiff receives first notice letter regarding ANDA
2020-12-01 ’891 Patent Issued
2021-01-13 Plaintiff receives second notice letter regarding ANDA
2021-04-09 Complaint Filed

II. Technology and Patent(s)-in-Suit Analysis

U.S. Patent No. 7,601,740 - Selective serotonin 2A/2C receptor inverse agonists as therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases

The Invention Explained
  • Problem Addressed: The patent describes that patients with neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are particularly sensitive to existing therapeutic agents, which often cause severe, treatment-limiting side effects on motor function and cognition (’740 Patent, col. 2:15-25). Existing antipsychotics, for example, often work by antagonizing dopamine receptors, which is poorly tolerated in patient populations already deficient in central dopamine neurotransmission, such as those with Parkinson's Disease (’740 Patent, col. 2:35-43).
  • The Patented Solution: The invention claims a method of treating psychosis and similar symptoms in patients with NDs by administering a selective 5-HT2A/2C receptor inverse agonist (’740 Patent, Abstract). This approach is designed to provide therapeutic benefits without the adverse motor effects associated with dopamine receptor antagonists, thereby offering a better-tolerated treatment for this vulnerable patient population (’740 Patent, col. 2:44-51).
  • Technical Importance: This approach provided a novel mechanism for treating psychosis in ND patients by targeting the serotonin system instead of the dopamine system, addressing a significant unmet need for safer antipsychotic therapies.
Key Claims at a Glance
  • The complaint does not specify which claims are asserted, but a representative independent claim is Claim 1.
  • Essential elements of Independent Claim 1:
    • A method for treating psychosis in a subject.
    • The subject has a neurodegenerative disease.
    • The method comprises administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of an inverse agonist.
    • The inverse agonist is selective for a serotonin receptor over a dopamine receptor.

U.S. Patent No. 7,732,615 - N-(4-fluorobenzyl)-N-(1-methylpiperidin-4-yl)-N'-(4-(2-methylpropyloxy)phenylmethyl)carbamide and its tartrate salt and crystalline forms

The Invention Explained
  • Problem Addressed: The patent addresses the need to identify and characterize specific chemical compounds and their solid-state forms that are suitable for pharmaceutical development and manufacturing (’615 Patent, col. 1:11-20).
  • The Patented Solution: The invention discloses the specific compound pimavanserin, its pharmaceutically acceptable tartrate salt, and several distinct crystalline forms (designated Forms A-F) (’615 Patent, Abstract). These specific forms are described as having properties, such as stability and solubility, that make them suitable for use in pharmaceutical dosage forms (’615 Patent, col. 24:14-23).
  • Technical Importance: Identifying stable, pure crystalline forms of an active pharmaceutical ingredient is a critical step in drug development, enabling consistent manufacturing, formulation, and bioavailability.
Key Claims at a Glance
  • The complaint does not specify which claims are asserted, but representative independent claims include Claim 1 (the compound) and Claim 12 (crystalline Form A).
  • Essential elements of Independent Claim 1:
    • A compound which is N-(4-fluorobenzyl)-N-(1-methylpiperidin-4-yl)-N'-(4-(2-methylpropyloxy)phenylmethyl)carbamide (pimavanserin) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
  • Essential elements of Independent Claim 12:
    • A crystalline form of the compound of Claim 1 (pimavanserin).
    • The crystalline form exhibits an X-ray powder diffraction pattern with characteristic peaks having specific d-values, including at about 16.0, 11.0, 8.2, 5.91, 5.03, and 4.70 angstroms.

U.S. Patent No. 10,449,185 - Formulations of pimavanserin

  • Technology Synopsis: The patent addresses technical challenges in manufacturing pimavanserin, which is described as having low bulk density and poor flowability, making it difficult to accurately fill into small capsules for single-dose administration (’185 Patent, col. 1:53-61). The solution involves a specific granulation process that increases the bulk density and improves the flow properties of pimavanserin, enabling reproducible manufacturing of smaller, patient-compliant single-unit capsules (’185 Patent, col. 2:1-16).
  • Asserted Claims: At least one independent claim is asserted, such as Claim 1.
  • Accused Features: The composition and manufacturing process of Aurobindo's 34 mg pimavanserin tartrate oral capsules are accused of infringement (Compl. ¶¶7, 36-37).

U.S. Patent No. 10,646,480 - Formulations of pimavanserin

  • Technology Synopsis: This patent, related to the ’185 Patent, further describes pharmaceutical capsules containing granulated pimavanserin tartrate. It claims specific compositions comprising the granulated drug, microcrystalline cellulose, and magnesium stearate, characterized by specific bulk densities and particle size distributions designed to ensure content uniformity and manufacturability (’480 Patent, col. 23:18-42).
  • Asserted Claims: At least one independent claim is asserted, such as Claim 1 or 12.
  • Accused Features: The composition and physical properties of Aurobindo's 34 mg pimavanserin tartrate oral capsules are accused of infringement (Compl. ¶¶7, 36-37).

U.S. Patent No. 10,849,891 - Formulations of Pimavanserin

  • Technology Synopsis: This patent is also in the same family as the ’185 and ’480 patents. It claims pharmaceutical capsules containing granulated pimavanserin and other excipients, focusing on achieving a single-dose formulation that overcomes the manufacturing difficulties associated with the active ingredient's physical properties (’891 Patent, col. 1:53-61).
  • Asserted Claims: At least one independent claim is asserted, such as Claim 1.
  • Accused Features: The formulation of Aurobindo's 34 mg pimavanserin tartrate oral capsules is accused of infringement (Compl. ¶¶7, 36-37).

III. The Accused Instrumentality

Product Identification

The accused instrumentality is the "Aurobindo Generic Product," identified as pimavanserin tartrate oral capsules, equivalent to 34 mg base, for which AUROBINDO PHARMA submitted ANDA No. 214782 to the FDA (Compl. ¶7).

Functionality and Market Context

The complaint alleges that the Aurobindo Generic Product contains the same active ingredient as NUPLAZID® and has the same or substantially the same proposed labeling (Compl. ¶37). The product is an oral capsule intended for commercial manufacture and sale in the United States as a generic alternative to NUPLAZID® before the expiration of the patents-in-suit (Compl. ¶36).

IV. Analysis of Infringement Allegations

The complaint, as is common in initial Hatch-Waxman pleadings, alleges infringement under the statutory mechanism of 35 U.S.C. § 271(e)(2)(A), which defines the submission of an ANDA as a technical act of infringement (Compl. ¶44). The complaint does not contain an element-by-element claim chart or provide specific technical details about the Aurobindo Generic Product to map onto the asserted claims. The infringement allegation rests on the premise that the product described in the ANDA, if approved and marketed, would infringe the patents-in-suit (Compl. ¶53).

No probative visual evidence provided in complaint.

  • Identified Points of Contention:
    • Scope Questions: For the ’740 method of use patent, a key question will be whether the proposed label for Aurobindo's product instructs or encourages use for treating psychosis in a manner that falls within the scope of the asserted claims. For the ’615 compound patent, the dispute may center on whether Aurobindo's API is the specific tartrate salt and exists in one of the patented crystalline forms. For the ’185, ’480, and ’891 formulation patents, the analysis will question whether the excipients, granulation process, particle size, and bulk density of Aurobindo's product are encompassed by the claim limitations.
    • Technical Questions: A primary technical question will be the physical and chemical characterization of Aurobindo’s API and final drug product. Evidence from Aurobindo’s ANDA submission will be central to determining whether its formulation meets the specific granulation and composition parameters required by the asserted formulation patents.

V. Key Claim Terms for Construction

  • The Term: "selective for a serotonin receptor over a dopamine receptor" (from '740 Patent, Claim 1)

  • Context and Importance: The definition of "selective" is central to the method claimed in the ’740 Patent, as it distinguishes the invention from prior art antipsychotics that primarily target dopamine receptors. Practitioners may focus on this term because the degree of selectivity required by the claim (e.g., 10-fold, 100-fold) could be a point of dispute and is not explicitly quantified in the claim itself.

  • Intrinsic Evidence for Interpretation:

    • Evidence for a Broader Interpretation: The specification describes the invention as possessing "substantially less activity at dopamine D₂ receptors than at 5-HT2A receptors," which may support a construction that does not require absolute selectivity, but rather a functional difference in activity levels (’740 Patent, col. 3:3-5).
    • Evidence for a Narrower Interpretation: The patent repeatedly emphasizes the lack of D₂ receptor antagonism as a key feature that avoids adverse motor effects, suggesting the term "selective" could be construed to require a very high, clinically meaningful difference in receptor activity, potentially approaching negligible activity at dopamine receptors (’740 Patent, col. 2:44-48).

  • The Term: "granulated pimavanserin" (from '185 Patent, Claim 1)

  • Context and Importance: The formulation patents (’185, ’480, ’891) were granted based on overcoming the challenges of pimavanserin's physical properties via a specific granulation process. The dispute will likely turn on whether Aurobindo's formulation process and resulting granules have the specific physical characteristics (e.g., bulk density, particle size) of the claimed "granulated pimavanserin."

  • Intrinsic Evidence for Interpretation:

    • Evidence for a Broader Interpretation: The specification describes granulation generally as a process to "improve the properties of the pharmaceutical blend" (’185 Patent, col. 11:59-63). This could support a broader definition covering any process that achieves densification and improved flow.
    • Evidence for a Narrower Interpretation: The patent provides highly specific examples and data, such as Table 1, which quantifies the improvement in bulk density (from 0.294 g/ml to 0.508 g/ml) and Carr's Index (from 36 to 24) achieved by the inventive process (’185 Patent, col. 10:1-10). This may support a narrower construction limited to granules exhibiting these specific, quantified physical properties.

VI. Other Allegations

  • Indirect Infringement: The complaint alleges that if Aurobindo commercializes its product, it will induce infringement by others (e.g., doctors and patients) under § 271(b) and contribute to infringement under § 271(c) (Compl. ¶53). The basis for inducement is the allegation that Aurobindo’s proposed product label will instruct users to perform the methods of treatment claimed in the ’740 patent (Compl. ¶37).
  • Willful Infringement: The complaint alleges that Aurobindo was aware of the existence of the patents-in-suit and knew that filing its ANDA was an act of infringement, which may form the basis for a willfulness claim (Compl. ¶51).

VII. Analyst’s Conclusion: Key Questions for the Case

  • A central issue will be one of infringement by design: can Aurobindo’s proposed generic product, which must be bioequivalent to NUPLAZID® to gain FDA approval, be simultaneously proven to be formulated differently enough to avoid the specific composition, crystalline form, and granulation claims of Acadia’s patents, particularly the ’185, ’480, and ’891 patents?
  • A key evidentiary question will be one of validity and non-obviousness: as foreshadowed by the Paragraph IV certification, the case will likely examine whether Aurobindo can demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that Acadia’s later-issued formulation patents claim obvious manufacturing techniques or physical properties that would have been apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art seeking to formulate the known pimavanserin compound.