The European Patent Office (EPO) has revoked one of Edwards Lifesciences’ patents in full, marking a significant win for Meril Life Sciences in their ongoing dispute over heart valves. The Board of Appeal overturned a previous decision by the Opposition Division, which had upheld the patent.
Background of the Dispute
The decision is the latest development in a long-running battle between Edwards and Meril, with the two companies having been involved in numerous rulings and appeals. The revoked patent, EP 4 151 181, protects a transcatheter heart valve technology.
Meril had filed an opposition to the patent after Edwards sued the company for infringement at the Unified Patent Court (UPC). The revocation has direct consequences for the parallel UPC proceedings, which are currently under appeal.
UPC Proceedings
In October 2025, the Paris central division of the UPC had upheld the patent in amended form, finding that Meril’s Octacor and Octapro heart-valve systems infringed several claims of the amended patent. However, with the EPO’s final revocation of the patent, the basis for the UPC injunction has been removed.
The UPC Court of Appeal has scheduled an oral hearing for 13 May 2027 to consider Meril’s appeal against the decision. The case is one of the oldest and largest ongoing at the UPC, centering on Meril’s transcatheter heart valves and the Navigator delivery system.
Edwards relied on patent attorneys Bernhard Thum and Jonas Weickert from German firm Thum &Partner in the EPO opposition proceedings. Meril was advised in the EPO proceedings by UK patent attorneys from Marks & Clerk.
Implications of the Decision
The revocation of the patent is a setback for Edwards in its battle with Meril.
The case highlights the complexities and challenges of patent disputes in the medical devices industry, where companies often have to handle multiple jurisdictions and legal frameworks. The outcome of the UPC appeal will be closely watched by industry observers, as it may have implications for the development and sale of heart-valve technologies in Europe.
