Pune court rejects 'Trademark-Violation Plea' filed against Serum SII over 'Covishield'

A local court in Pune on Saturday rejected the injunction application filed on behalf of Cutish-Biotech against Serum Institute of India (SII), against the use of 'Covishield' as brandname by the vaccine-maker. While the court order was not available immediately, the lawyer of Cutis-Biotech, a pharmaceutical products manufacturer and seller based in Maharashtra, said it would file an appeal in the high court.

This comes after, Cutis-Biotech, on January 4, filed a suit in the civil court claiming that it was a prior use of the brand name Covshield, and sought to restrain SII from using the name. 

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Court rejects trademark-violation plea over Covishield

Giving out further details of the legal suit, SII's lawyer Hitesh Jain had told the court that the two companies operate in different product categories and there is no scope for confusion over the trademark. The lawyer said, "Court has rejected the application". Meanwhile, Cutis-Biotech lawyer Aditya Soni said that the order copy was not yet available, but operative order was read out in the court. Seeming unsatisfied with the court's decision he said, "We will file an appeal against the order in the high court."

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Founded by Cyrus POonawalla in 1966, Serum Institute of India is the world's largest vaccine manufacturer and is located in Pune. Earlier in January first week, the government of India has approved SII's Coronavirus vaccine named 'Covishield' and so far the 11 million doses of the vaccine have been purchased by the government. 

(With PTI inputs)

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