Reference for a preliminary ruling from the Bundespatentgericht (Germany) lodged on 9 March 2010 - Merck & Co Inc v Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt

(Case C-125/10)

Language of the case: German

Referring court

Bundespatentgericht

Parties to the main proceedings

Applicant: Merck & Co Inc

Defendant: Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt

Question referred

Can a supplementary protection certificate for medicinal products ¹ be granted if the period of time between the filing of the application for the basic patent and the date of first authorisation for marketing in the Community is shorter than five years?

____________

¹ - Regulation (EC) No 469/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 May 2009 concerning the supplementary protection certificate for medicinal products (codified version); OJ 2009 L 152, p. 1