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Matter

Competition Authority v Roche and Novartis (French Cour de cassation F 23-13.391)

  1. 25 June 2025France

    25 June 2025France

    Judgment of the French Cour de cassation, Commercial, Financial and Economic Chamber, in case F 23-13.391 dated 25 June 2025

    French Cour de cassation, Commercial, Financial and Economic Chamber

    Case no.
    F 23-13.391
    Citation
    Judgment No. 411 FS-B
    Decision summary
    The Cour de cassation partially quashed the Paris Court of Appeal judgment of 16 February 2023 that had set aside the French Competition Authority decision No. 20-D-11 and held that no abuse of dominance by the Roche and Novartis companies was established. It held that the Court of Appeal had not adequately examined potential competition between Avastin and Lucentis after the 2011 medicines legislation, the context of the alleged dissemination of risk information, and the potential effects of Roche's delay in supplying Avastin samples for the GEFAL study. The case was remitted to the Paris Court of Appeal differently composed; the companies were ordered jointly to pay EUR 10,000 to the president of the Competition Authority under Article 700 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

    Supporting details

    27 authorities · 19 participants
    President of the French Competition Authority
    Representative
    SCP Duhamel (For: President of the French Competition Authority)
    Roche SAS
    Representative
    SCP Piwnica et Molinié (For: Roche SAS · Roche Holding AG · Genentech Inc.)
    Roche Holding AG
    Representative
    SCP Piwnica et Molinié (For: Roche SAS · Roche Holding AG · Genentech Inc.)
    Genentech Inc.
    Representative
    SCP Piwnica et Molinié (For: Roche SAS · Roche Holding AG · Genentech Inc.)
    Novartis Pharma SAS
    Representative
    SCP Célice, Texidor, Périer (For: Novartis Pharma SAS · Novartis groupe France SA · Novartis AG)
    Novartis groupe France SA
    Representative
    SCP Célice, Texidor, Périer (For: Novartis Pharma SAS · Novartis groupe France SA · Novartis AG)
    Novartis AG
    Representative
    SCP Célice, Texidor, Périer (For: Novartis Pharma SAS · Novartis groupe France SA · Novartis AG)
    Minister responsible for the Economy
    French Cour de cassation, Commercial, Financial and Economic Chamber
    Advocate General
    M. Douvreleur
    Other
    Court Reporter
    Mme Labat

    Authorities cited

    27
    • French Commercial Code
      statute
    • Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (Article 102 TFEU)
      statute
    • French Public Health Code (Articles L. 5121-12-1 and related provisions)
      statute
    • French Social Security Code (Article L. 162-2)
      statute
    • French Code of Medical Ethics (Article 8)
      statute
    • French Law No. 2011-2012 of 29 December 2011 on Strengthening the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (Law No. 2011-2012 of 29 December 2011)
      statute
    • French Law No. 2012-1404 of 17 December 2012 (Law No. 2012-1404 of 17 December 2012)
      statute
    • French Decree No. 2012-742 of 9 May 2012 on Temporary Recommendations for the Use of Pharmaceutical Products (Decree No. 2012-742 of 9 May 2012)
      statute
    • Directive 2001/83/EC on the Community Code relating to Medicinal Products for Human Use (Directive 2001/83/EC of 6 November 2001, as amended by Directive 2004/27/EC)
      statute
    • Regulation (EC) No. 726/2004 of 31 March 2004
      statute
    • French Code of Civil Procedure
      statute
    • French Judicial Organisation Code (Article R. 431-5)
      statute
    • Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (Article 10 § 2)
      statute
    • F. Hoffmann-La Roche and Others (CJEU, C-179/16)
      case-law
    • Delimitis (CJEU, C-234/89)
      case-law
    • Generics (UK) and Others (CJEU, C-307/18)
      case-law
    • EDP – Energias de Portugal and Others (CJEU, C-331/21)
      case-law
    • Commission v Poland (CJEU, C-185/10)
      case-law
    • Hoffmann-La Roche/Commission (CJEU, 85/76)
      case-law
    • Michelin / Commission (CJEU, 322/81)
      case-law
    • Post Danmark (CJEU, C-209/10)
      case-law
    • European Superleague Company (CJEU, C-333/21)
      case-law
    • Ashby Donald and Others v France (ECtHR, no. 36769/08)
      case-law
    • AstraZeneca/Commission (CJEU, C-457/10 P)
      case-law
    • Servizio Elettrico Nazionale and Others (CJEU, C-377/20)
      case-law
    • Google and Alphabet/Commission (Google Shopping) (CJEU, C-48/22 P)
      case-law
    • Tallinna Kaubamaja Grupp and KIA Auto (CJEU, C-606/23)
      case-law

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Competition Authority v Roche and Novartis (French Cour de cassation F 23-13.391) · Matter