Pfizer predecessor Wyeth sued two generic companies that introduced competing versions of its reflux drug Protonix for infringement, and sued a third when it filed an application to produce the drug. The generics claimed Pfizer's patent was invalid, but a Newark federal jury upheld it.

"Try, try again" was the motto for Covidien's U.S. Surgical unit. After twice losing patent infringement trials to Applied Medical, U.S. Surgical finally won a defense verdict last April. The Federal Circuit sealed the win last week.

"Try, try again" was the motto for Covidien, whose U.S. Surgical Unit lost two patent infringement suits to Applied Science before finally winning a defense verdict last April. The Federal Circuit sealed the victory last week.

Capitalizing on the story of an underdog inventor's triumph, John Nathan and Catherine Nyarady of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison secured victories for Edwards LifeSciences Corporation that could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars.