The Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) in Chennai dismissed Novartis petition against the appointment of S Chandrasekharan as the IPAB technical member on the plea that he was 'an interested party'.

Novartis had taken strong exception to the appointment of Chandrasekharan as the technical member of the IPAB terming him an interested party on the plea that Chandrasekharan was the controller general of patent office when the Novartis' patent application for its blockbuster cancer drug Glivec was rejected. The Novartis had challenged the matter before the Board.

While Shanti Bhushan and Habibulla Pasha argued for Novartis, BB Raman representing Natco argued in favour of Chandrasekharan's continuance.

After completing the hearing on the petition, the IPAB had reserved the matter for judgement on July 10.