Judgment of the General Court (Second Chamber) of 8 September 2021 –
Cara Therapeutics v EUIPO – Gebro Holding (KORSUVA)

(Case T‑584/20)

(EU trade mark – Opposition proceedings – Application for the EU word mark KORSUVA – Earlier national word mark AROSUVA – Relative ground for refusal – Likelihood of confusion – Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001)

1.      EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an earlier identical or similar mark registered for identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Criteria for assessment

(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))

(see paras 17, 18, 22, 41)

2.      EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an earlier identical or similar mark registered for identical or similar goods or services – Similarity of the marks concerned – Identical number of letters composing two word marks – Presence of several letters in the same order

(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))

(see paras 26, 27, 29, 30, 35)

3.      EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an earlier identical or similar mark registered for identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Word marks KORSUVA and AROSUVA

(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))

(see paras 31, 34, 36, 42-44)

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 3 July 2020 (Case R 2450/2019-4), relating to opposition proceedings between Gebro Holding and Cara Therapeutics.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Dismisses the action;

2. Orders Cara Therapeutics, Inc. to pay the costs.