Covington Successfully Defends Lilly in $1+ Billion Trade Secret Arbitration

WASHINGTON—Covington has secured a complete victory for our client Eli Lilly & Company against French biotech company Adocia S.A., defeating Adocia’s claims of $1.39 billion for alleged misappropriation of trade secrets in an arbitration before a three-member panel at the American Arbitration Association (AAA).  After extensive written submissions and a lengthy hearing, the Tribunal unanimously concluded that Lilly engaged in no wrongdoing and is not liable for damages.

The dispute concerned allegations that Lilly had misused Adocia trade secrets and confidential information in developing Lilly’s own rapid-acting insulin. In dismissing Adocia’s claims, the Tribunal recognized Lilly’s extensive record of independent development.

“We are very pleased that the Tribunal acknowledged the innovative and independent work of Lilly scientists,” said Marney L. Cheek, lead counsel for Lilly. “We are delighted with the outcome.”

The Covington lawyers working with the Lilly in-house legal team also included partners Clara J. Shin and Jeffrey M. Davidson in San Francisco and Megan P. Keane and Miguel López Forastier in Washington, D.C.; associates Jared Frisch and Clovis Trevino in Washington, D.C.; Isaac Chaput, Udit Sood, Dylan Silva, Kanu Song, and Breanna Jones in San Francisco, and Andrew Regan in Palo Alto.