3VSigma v. AGA-ACEF

UPC-000688

Act. no. 18051/2025 UPC CFI no. 342/2025 1 di 20 ACT. NO. 18051/2025 UPC CFI NO. 342/2025 ORDER NO. 21737/2025 TRIBUNALE UNIFICATO DEI BREVETTI TRIBUNALE DI PRIMO GRADO DIVISIONE LOCALE DI MILANO ORDINE DI PROTEZIONE DELLE PROVE depositato il 19.5.2025 RICHIEDENTE 3

Jurisdiction
European UPC
Court / Office
Milan (IT) Local Division
Case Number
UPC-000688
Judge(s)
Alima ZANA legally qualified judge LINGUA DEL PROCEDIMENTO Italiano LE VICENDE PROCESSUALI In data

Detailed Summary

Act. no. 18051/2025

UPC CFI no. 342/2025

1 di 20

ACT. NO. 18051/2025

UPC CFI NO. 342/2025

ORDER NO. 21737/2025

TRIBUNALE UNIFICATO DEI BREVETTI

TRIBUNALE DI PRIMO GRADO

DIVISIONE LOCALE DI MILANO

ORDINE DI PROTEZIONE DELLE PROVE

depositato il 19.5.2025

RICHIEDENTE

3V SIGMA S.P.A. - Milano, via Fatebenefratelli n. 20, 20121, Italia

rappresentata e difesa dagli avvocati Luca Pellicciari e Lorenzo Battarino, con studio in Milano,

via Brera n. 6, 20121, Italia

CONVENUTO 1

AZIENDA CHIMICA E FARMACEUTICA S.P.A. - A.C.E.F. S.P.A. - via Umbria n. 8/14, Fiorenzuola

D’Arda (PC), 29017, Italia

CONVENUTO 2

AZIENDA CHIMICA E FARMACEUTICA S.R.L. - A.C.E.F. S.R.L. - via Umbria n. 8/14, Fiorenzuola

D’Arda (PC), 29017, Italia

BREVETTI OGGETTO DI CAUSA

EP 3275872, intitolato nuovi composti triazinici come agenti fotostabilizzanti, titolare 3V

Sigma s.p.a. (di seguito EP’872)

EP 3275426, intitolato composizioni cosmetiche di filtri uv, titolare 3V Sigma s.p.a. (di seguito

EP’426)

DIVISIONE

Divisione Locale di Milano

Act. no. 18051/2025

UPC CFI no. 342/2025

2 di 20

ORGANO DECIDENTE

Questo ordine è adottato dal Tribunale nella seguente composizione collegiale:

Pierluigi PERROTTI

presiding judge e judge rapporteur

Samuel

GRANATA

legally qualified judge

Alima

ZANA

legally qualified judge

LINGUA DEL PROCEDIMENTO

Italiano

LE VICENDE PROCESSUALI

In data 16.4.2025 3V Sigma s.p.a. ha depositato un ricorso ai sensi dell’Art. 60.5 UPCA e rule

192 e ss. RoP per l’emissione di un ordine inaudita altera parte di protezione delle prove nei

confronti di Azienda Chimica e Farmaceutica s.p.a. - A.C.E.F. s.p.a. e di Azienda Chimica e

Farmaceutica s.r.l. - A.C.E.F. s.r.l. (di seguito, anche unitariamente, ACEF, salvo ove

diversamente specificato), prima dell’avvio del giudizio di merito.

3V Sigma è il titolare dei brevetti EP’812 ed EP’426. Le due privative rivendicano,

rispettivamente, (i) nuovi composti della famiglia delle s-triazine caratterizzati da un’elevata

capacità di assorbimento dei raggi ultravioletti e (ii) composizioni cosmetiche contenenti i

suddetti composti per la protezione di pelle e capelli dalle conseguenze dannose

dell’esposizione alla luce solare.

3V Sigma espone che uno dei suoi concorrenti - MFCI CO., Ltd. con base a Hunagshi, Hubei,

Cina - ha di recente lanciato sul mercato un nuovo filtro UVB per la preparazione di

composizioni cosmetiche per la protezione solare, recante il nome commerciale MFSorb (513)

DBT (di seguito MFSorb 513). Questo prodotto è destinato al circuito degli operatori

professionali nel settore della produzione delle creme solari.

Le società ACEF distribuiscono i prodotti di MFCI e, in particolare, il filtro MFSorb 513. Le

attività di vendita e promozione sono attualmente in corso di svolgimento, come è possibile

ricavare dalla pubblicità presente sul sito internet www.acef.it, riconducibile ad ACEF s.r.l..

Con l’ausilio di un trader professionale parte ricorrente ha acquistato un campione di 25 kg di

prodotto MFSorb 513 e lo ha fatto analizzare da un laboratorio esterno, ottenendo conferma

della riproduzione di alcuni degli insegnamenti contenuti nelle rivendicazioni di EP’812 e di

EP’426.

3V Sigma ha concluso chiedendo l’emissione di un ordine di protezione delle prove, giustificata

dalla necessità di (i) prevenire qualsiasi possibile eccezione in ordine alla effettiva provenienza

Act. no. 18051/2025

UPC CFI no. 342/2025

3 di 20

dalle resistenti del campione di prodotto esaminato e di (ii) acquisire tutta la documentazione

tecnica, contabile e commerciale relativa al filtro MFSorb 513. La definitiva conferma della

sospettata contraffazione dei brevetti sua titolarità e l’identificazione di tutti i soggetti coinvolti

nella filiera distributiva le avrebbe quindi consentito di avviare un successivo giudizio di merito

per l’accertamento della violazione del brevetto.

Con order n. 21103

Practitioner Note

This case demonstrates the evidentiary and procedural standards applied in patent matters before Milan (IT) Local Division. Understanding the court's reasoning in 3VSigma vs AGA-ACEF is valuable context for structuring arguments or assessing risk in similar proceedings.

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