Concern That Automatic Stay of FDA Approval Incentivizes Frivolous ANDA Cases Does Not Justify Award of Attorney Fees as Deterrent

Following summary judgment of noninfringement, the court denied defendants' motion for attorney fees under 35 U.S.C. § 285 and rejected defendants' argument that deterrence was necessary to protect other generic drug manufacturers. "[Defendant] contends that an exceptionality finding is warranted to deter future litigants from behaving like [plaintiff], especially in the context of the Hatch-Waxman Act, with its purpose (among others) to foster timely entry of generic drugs to the market. [Defendant] suggests that due to the statutory, automatic 30-month stay of FDA approval of an ANDA that is triggered by the filing of litigation, the Court should be alert to the incentives branded drug companies like [plaintiff] have to file frivolous cases, and should perhaps be more willing to find an ANDA case exceptional within the meaning of § 285. While these concerns may merit substantial weight in some other case, here they do not, as [plaintiff's] litigation position was not frivolous, and as the market here already included generic competitors at the time this suit was filed."

Reckitt Benckiser LLC v. Aurobindo Pharma Limited et al, 1-14-cv-01203 (DED October 16, 2017, Order) (Stark, USDJ)