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Intellectual Property Watch

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Archives for February 2015

At EPO, Patent Oppositions To High-Priced Gilead Hepatitis C Drug Pile Up

27/02/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment

According to a public health advocacy group, there are now as many as 10 oppositions filed at the European Patent Office against the Gilead company’s patent on sofosbuvir, a treatment for hepatitis C. The group has compiled a table showing the filings with links to the documents.

Filed Under: IP-Watch Briefs, IP Policies, Language, Themes, Access to Knowledge/ Education, English, Europe, Health & IP, Human Rights, IP Law, Patents/Designs/Trade Secrets, Regional Policy

Why The Request By Least Developed Countries For An Extension Of The Transitional Period For Granting And Enforcing Medicines Patents Needs To Be Supported

27/02/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments

Ellen ‘t Hoen writes: On 24 February 2015 Bangladesh on behalf of the 34 Least Developed Country members (LDCs) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) submitted a request for an extension of the transitional period under article 66.1 TRIPS with respect to pharmaceutical products until the country is no longer classified as LDC.[1] The original extension, set to expire on 1st January 2016, specifically removes the obligation for LDCs to comply with Section 5 (Patents) and Section 7 (Protection of Undisclosed Information) of Part II of TRIPS, including any obligation to enforce rights under these provisions.

It is a little known fact that since the adoption of the 2001 Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health, LDCs have frequently used the extension in day-to-day procurement of low cost generic medicines, in particular to access medicines needed for the treatment of HIV.

Filed Under: Features, Inside Views, IP Policies, Language, Themes, Venues, Access to Knowledge/ Education, Development, English, Finance, Health & IP, Human Rights, Innovation/ R&D, Patents/Designs/Trade Secrets, Technical Cooperation/ Technology Transfer, United Nations - other, WHO

South Africa Awaits Patent Reforms With Hope, Concern

27/02/2015 by Munyaradzi Makoni for Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments

CAPE TOWN – South Africa’s new policy on patents could go to the Cabinet for approval soon, says Doctors without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières, MSF), one of the organisations spearheading the Fix the Patent Laws campaign in the country.

Filed Under: IP Policies, Language, Themes, Access to Knowledge/ Education, Africa, Development, English, Health & IP, Human Rights, IP Law, Innovation/ R&D, Lobbying, Patents/Designs/Trade Secrets, Regional Policy, Technical Cooperation/ Technology Transfer

Ebola Crisis Has Severe Impact On AIDS Response In Sierra Leone, UNDP Report Says

27/02/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment

According to an internal report of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Global Fund Partnership team, the Ebola epidemic has virtually halted national HIV efforts in Sierra Leone. In particular, patients stopped their treatments and the supply chain was disrupted.

Filed Under: IP Policies, Language, Themes, Venues, Access to Knowledge/ Education, Africa, English, Finance, Health & IP, Human Rights, Patents/Designs/Trade Secrets, Regional Policy, Technical Cooperation/ Technology Transfer, United Nations - other

UK To Revamp Law On “Groundless Threats” Of Infringement Suits

26/02/2015 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment

Recommendations for key reforms to laws against “groundless threats” of infringement lawsuits in patent, trademark and design rights cases won general UK government backing today. IP lawyers said the government’s stance will go far toward resolving longstanding concerns.

Filed Under: IP Policies, Language, Subscribers, Themes, Copyright Policy, Enforcement, English, Europe, IP Law, Patents/Designs/Trade Secrets, Regional Policy, Trademarks/Geographical Indications/Domains

Tobacco Plain Packaging Discussion Lights Up Again At WTO

25/02/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments

The issue of plain packaging for tobacco products as a health measure has been smouldering at the World Trade Organization since Australia decided to implement legislation requiring plain packaging in 2012. Now, as more countries seek to enact similar legal provisions, some tobacco producing countries continue to try to stub them out, including at the WTO intellectual property committee.

Filed Under: IP Policies, Language, Themes, Venues, Copyright Policy, English, Health & IP, Trademarks/Geographical Indications/Domains, WTO/TRIPS

WTO Least-Developed Countries Request Waiver Of IP Rights On Pharma Products

25/02/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 13 Comments

This week at the World Trade Organization intellectual property committee meeting, least-developed countries submitted a request to extend a waiver allowing them not to enforce intellectual property rights on pharmaceutical products. The countries have extended the waiver before, but this time they are seeking to make it indefinite, until they are no longer considered LDCs.

Filed Under: IP Policies, Language, Themes, Venues, Access to Knowledge/ Education, Development, Enforcement, English, Health & IP, Human Rights, Patents/Designs/Trade Secrets, Technical Cooperation/ Technology Transfer, WTO/TRIPS

New Quiet Initiative To Improve Drug Access In Middle-Income Countries, Change Country Classification System

25/02/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments

This week a confidential high-level expert meeting was convened in Geneva to start work on a potential change in the country classification used by global health actors to remedy the growing problem of access to medicines in middle-income countries.

Filed Under: IP Policies, Language, Themes, Venues, Access to Knowledge/ Education, Development, English, Finance, Health & IP, Human Rights, Innovation/ R&D, Patents/Designs/Trade Secrets, Technical Cooperation/ Technology Transfer, United Nations - other, WHO

Medicines Patent Pool Nails Down Another Key Paediatric Drug

24/02/2015 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment

The Medicines Patent Pool today announced it has struck a licence with MSD, the North American-based Merck pharmaceutical company, to boost access to and innovation on raltegravir, a child-approved HIV medicine. The outcome is particularly significant because it opens options for very young children.

Filed Under: IP Policies, Language, Themes, Venues, Access to Knowledge/ Education, English, Health & IP, Patents/Designs/Trade Secrets, Technical Cooperation/ Technology Transfer, WHO

WIPO Members Propose Changes To Draft Legal Instrument Protecting GIs

24/02/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment

In the run-up to the May high-level negotiating meeting to amend a World Intellectual Property Organization treaty to enhance the protection of geographical indications, member countries were invited to suggest changes to the basic negotiating text. Ten countries issued proposed changes by the 1 February deadline, some asking for full participation of WIPO members in the negotiations of the 28-member treaty.

Filed Under: IP Policies, Language, Subscribers, Themes, Venues, Biodiversity/Genetic Resources/Biotech, English, Environment, Trademarks/Geographical Indications/Domains, Traditional and Indigenous Knowledge, WIPO

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