Shout-Out: Covington Beats Back $1.4 Billion Trade Secret Claim Against Lilly
"We are very pleased that the tribunal acknowledged the innovative and independent work of Lilly scientists," said Covington partner Marney Cheek.
August 26, 2019 at 01:30 PM
2 minute read
Future DC offices of Covington & Burling at 850 10th Streent, NW, inside the City Centre complex. May 13, 2014. Photo by Diego M. Radzinschi/THE NATIONAL LAW JOURNAL.
Covington & Burling litigators scored a major win for Eli Lilly & Co. last week when a panel of arbitrators rejected trade secret misappropriation claims by French biotech company Adocia S.A.
Adocia, which was represented by Jones Day, sought at least $1.39 billion in damages. The two companies in 2014 teamed up to develop a rapid-acting insulin. But the collaboration didn't last, and Adocia went on to claim Lilly misappropriated and misused its confidential information and discoveries.
After a lengthy hearing, the American Arbitration Association panel unanimously concluded that Lilly engaged in no wrongdoing, recognizing the company's extensive record of independent development.
"We are very pleased that the tribunal acknowledged the innovative and independent work of Lilly scientists," said Covington partner Marney Cheek, lead counsel for Lilly. "We are delighted with the outcome."
The Covington lawyers working with the Lilly in-house legal team also included partners Clara Shin and Jeffrey Davidson in San Francisco and Megan Keane and Miguel López Forastier in Washington, D.C.; associates Jared Frisch and Clovis Trevino in Washington, D.C.; Isaac Chaput, Udit Sood, Dylan Silva, Kanu Song, and Breanna Jones in San Francisco, and Andrew Regan in Palo Alto.
Adocia CEO Gérard Soula in a news release said he was "extremely surprised and disappointed" by the panel's decision.
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