Case 2:23-cv-00222-JKW-DEM Document 795 Filed 02/24/25 Page 1 of 6 PageID#
`34621
`
`THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
`FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA
`Norfolk Division
`
`
`CureVac SE, et al.,
`
`
`
`
`Plaintiffs,
`
`v.
`
`
`BioNTech SE, et al.,
`
`
`Defendants.
`
`)
`)
`)
`) Civil Action No. 2:23-cv-0222 (JKW-DEM)
`)
`)
`) JURY TRIAL DEMANDED
`)
`)
`)
`)
`)
`
`
`
`
`
`NOTICE OF AFFIRMATIVE PATENT INVALIDITY DEFENSES
`TO BE PRESENTED AT TRIAL
`
`BioNTech SE, BioNTech Manufacturing GmbH, and Pfizer Inc. (collectively,
`
`“Defendants”), by counsel, submit this Notice of Affirmative Patent Invalidity Defenses to be
`
`Presented at Trial (“Notice”). To streamline the trial, Defendants provide this Notice to modify
`
`the trial proceedings to a narrowed set of affirmative patent invalidity defenses in reliance on
`
`Plaintiffs’ notice of the asserted claims they will pursue at trial.1 D.I. 788-1 at ¶ 21.
`
`Accordingly, Defendants provide notice as follows:
`
`At trial, Defendants will pursue the following affirmative patent invalidity defenses with
`
`respect to the Asserted Claims through at least opening statements:
`
`• Claim 15 of U.S. Patent No. 11,135,312 (the “’312 patent”)
`
`
`1 Plaintiffs represented they will assert only the following patent claims at trial: Claim 15 of
`U.S. Patent No. 11,135,312; Claim 15 of U.S. Patent No. 11,149,278; Claims 6 and 30 of U.S.
`Patent No. 11,286,492; Claim 28 of U.S. Patent No. 11,345,920; Claims 7 and 23 of U.S. Patent
`No. 10,760,070; Claims 5 and 13 of U.S. Patent No. 11,667,910; and Claim 14 of U.S. Patent
`No. 11,596,686 (collectively “Asserted Claims”). See D.I. 755.
`
`
`34621
`
`THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
`FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA
`Norfolk Division
`
`
`CureVac SE, et al.,
`
`
`
`
`Plaintiffs,
`
`v.
`
`
`BioNTech SE, et al.,
`
`
`Defendants.
`
`)
`)
`)
`) Civil Action No. 2:23-cv-0222 (JKW-DEM)
`)
`)
`) JURY TRIAL DEMANDED
`)
`)
`)
`)
`)
`
`
`
`
`
`NOTICE OF AFFIRMATIVE PATENT INVALIDITY DEFENSES
`TO BE PRESENTED AT TRIAL
`
`BioNTech SE, BioNTech Manufacturing GmbH, and Pfizer Inc. (collectively,
`
`“Defendants”), by counsel, submit this Notice of Affirmative Patent Invalidity Defenses to be
`
`Presented at Trial (“Notice”). To streamline the trial, Defendants provide this Notice to modify
`
`the trial proceedings to a narrowed set of affirmative patent invalidity defenses in reliance on
`
`Plaintiffs’ notice of the asserted claims they will pursue at trial.1 D.I. 788-1 at ¶ 21.
`
`Accordingly, Defendants provide notice as follows:
`
`At trial, Defendants will pursue the following affirmative patent invalidity defenses with
`
`respect to the Asserted Claims through at least opening statements:
`
`• Claim 15 of U.S. Patent No. 11,135,312 (the “’312 patent”)
`
`
`1 Plaintiffs represented they will assert only the following patent claims at trial: Claim 15 of
`U.S. Patent No. 11,135,312; Claim 15 of U.S. Patent No. 11,149,278; Claims 6 and 30 of U.S.
`Patent No. 11,286,492; Claim 28 of U.S. Patent No. 11,345,920; Claims 7 and 23 of U.S. Patent
`No. 10,760,070; Claims 5 and 13 of U.S. Patent No. 11,667,910; and Claim 14 of U.S. Patent
`No. 11,596,686 (collectively “Asserted Claims”). See D.I. 755.
`
`
`
`Case 2:23-cv-00222-JKW-DEM Document 795 Filed 02/24/25 Page 2 of 6 PageID#
`34622
`
`o Invalid as obvious under 35 U.S.C. § 103
`o Invalid under 35 U.S.C. § 112 based on a lack of written description and
`indefiniteness
`
`o Invalid and unenforceable due to prosecution laches (to be presented at the bench
`trial on April 15, 2025, including facts developed at the jury trial that may relate
`
`to this affirmative defense)
`
`• Claim 15 of U.S. Patent No. 11,149,278 (the “’278 patent”), Claims 6 and 30 of U.S.
`
`Patent No. 11,286,492 (the “’492 patent”), and Claim 28 of U.S. Patent No. 11,345,920
`
`(the “’920 patent”)
`
`o All claims invalid as obvious under 35 U.S.C. § 103
`o All claims invalid under 35 U.S.C. § 112 based on a lack of written description
`o Claim 6 of the ’492 patent also invalid as anticipated under 35 U.S.C. § 102
`• Claims 7 and 23 of U.S. Patent No. 10,760,070 (the “’070 patent”), and claims 5 and 13
`
`of U.S. Patent No. 11,667,910 (the “’910 patent”)
`
`o All claims invalid as anticipated under 35 U.S.C. § 102
`o All claims invalid as obvious under 35 U.S.C. § 103
`o All claims invalid under 35 U.S.C. § 112 based on a lack of written description
`• Claim 14 of U.S. Patent No. 11,596,686 (the “’686 patent”)
`
`o Invalid as obvious under 35 U.S.C. § 103
`o Invalid based on non-statutory double patenting/obviousness-type double
`patenting
`
`Attached, in accordance with the agreement of the parties, is an addendum further
`
`identifying Defendants’ prior-art based invalidity defenses.
`
`
`
`Case 2:23-cv-00222-JKW-DEM Document 795 Filed 02/24/25 Page 3 of 6 PageID#
`34623
`
`
`
`Dated: February 24, 2025
`
`Respectfully submitted,
`
`/s/ Stephen E. Noona________
`Stephen E. Noona (VSB No. 25367)
`Clark J. Belote (VSB No. 87310)
`Brandan M. Goodwin (VSB No. 94766)
`KAUFMAN & CANOLES, P.C.
`150 W. Main Street, Suite 2100
`Norfolk, VA 23510-1665
`Telephone: (757) 624-3000
`Facsimile: (888) 360-9092
`senoona@kaufcan.com
`cjbelote@kaufcan.com
`bmgoodwin@kaufcan.com
`
`Counsel for Defendants
`BioNTech, SE, BioNTech Manufacturing
`GmbH, and Pfizer Inc.
`
`Bruce M. Wexler (pro hac vice)
`Eric W. Dittmann (pro hac vice)
`Young J. Park (pro hac vice)
`Ashley Nicole Mays-Williams (pro hac vice)
`Scott F. Peachman (pro hac vice)
`Max H. Yusem (pro hac vice)
`Michael F. Werno (pro hac vice)
`Mi Zhou (pro hac vice)
`Zachary D. Hadd (pro hac vice)
`Gabrielle M. Landes (pro hac vice)
`PAUL HASTINGS LLP
`200 Park Avenue
`New York, NY 10166
`Telephone: (212) 318-6000
`Facsimile: (212) 319-4090
`brucewexler@paulhastings.com
`ericdittmann@paulhastings.com
`youngpark@paulhastings.com
`ashleymayswilliams@paulhastings.com
`scottpeachman@paulhastings.com
`maxyusem@paulhastings.com
`michaelwerno@paulhastings.com
`mizhou@paulhastings.com
`zacharyhadd@paulhastings.com
`gabriellelandes@paulhastings.com
`
`
`
`
`Case 2:23-cv-00222-JKW-DEM Document 795 Filed 02/24/25 Page 4 of 6 PageID#
`34624
`
`Douglas L. Sawyer (pro hac vice)
`Mark T. Smith (pro hac vice)
`John A. Cotiguala (pro hac vice)
`Cheron Mims (pro hac vice)
`Summer Stevens (pro hac vice)
`PAUL HASTINGS LLP
`71 S. Wacker Drive
`45th Floor
`Chicago, IL 60606
`Telephone: (312) 499-6000
`Facsimile: (312) 499-6100
`dougsawyer@paulhastings.com
`marksmith@paulhastings.com
`johncotiguala@paulhastings.com
`cheronmims@paulhastings.com
`summerstevens@paulhastings.com
`
`Raymond Winters Stockstill IV (pro hac vice)
`PAUL HASTINGS LLP
`1920 Main Street, Suite 400
`Irvine, CA 92614
`Telephone: (714) 668-6200
`Facsimile: (714) 979-1921
`beaustockstill@paulhastings.com
`
`Benjamin W. Snyder (pro hac vice)
`Vladimir J. Semendyai (pro hac vice)
`PAUL HASTINGS LLP
`2050 M Street NW
`Washington, DC 20036
`Telephone: (202) 551-1700
`Facsimile: (202) 551-1705
`bensyder@paulhastings.com
`vladimirsemendyai@paulhastings.com
`
`Counsel for Defendants
`BioNTech SE and BioNTech
`Manufacturing GmbH
`
`Dimitrios T. Drivas (pro hac vice)
`John P. Scheibeler (pro hac vice)
`Kevin J. Georgek (pro hac vice)
`Samantha J. Kokonis (pro hac vice)
`WHITE & CASE LLP
`1221 Avenue of the Americas
`New York, NY 10020
`Telephone: (212) 819-8200
`
`
`
`Case 2:23-cv-00222-JKW-DEM Document 795 Filed 02/24/25 Page 5 of 6 PageID#
`34625
`
`Facsimile: (212) 354-8113
`ddrivas@whitecase.com
`jscheibeler@whitecase.com
`kevin.georgek@whitecase.com
`samantha.kokonis@whitecase.com
`
`Counsel for Defendant Pfizer Inc.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Case 2:23-cv-00222-JKW-DEM Document 795 Filed 02/24/25 Page 6 of 6 PageID#
`34626
`
`CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
`
`I hereby certify that on February 24, 2025, a copy of Defendants’ Notice of Affirmative
`
`Patent Invalidity Defenses to be Presented at Trial was served on Plaintiffs CureVac SE and
`
`CureVac Manufacturing GmbH by email to all counsel of record in this case.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`/s/ Stephen E. Noona
`Stephen E. Noona (VSB No. 25367)
`Clark J. Belote (VSB No. 87310)
`Brandan M. Goodwin (VSB No. 94766)
`KAUFMAN & CANOLES, P.C.
`150 W. Main Street, Suite 2100
`Norfolk, VA 23510-1665
`Telephone: (757) 624-3000
`Facsimile: (888) 360-9092
`senoona@kaufcan.com
`cjbelote@kaufcan.com
`bmgoodwin@kaufcan.com
`
`Counsel for Defendants
`BioNTech, SE, BioNTech Manufacturing
`GmbH, and Pfizer, Inc.
`
`
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