Orphan Drugs Finding Home In Markets: Could Be 20% Of All Sales By 2020 15/07/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Worldwide sales for orphan drugs are forecast to reach $178 billion by 2020, according to a recent industry report. Moreover, the orphan drug market is expected to grow almost 12 percent per year, a level the broader pharmaceutical market “could only dream about” with its expected annual growth of 5.9 percent, according to Lisa Urquhart, editor of EvaluatePharma Vantage.
For UNCTAD Ministerial, NGOs Call For Development Focus, Not Trade Rules Enforcement 14/07/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Days before a major meeting of the governing body of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), over 100 non-governmental organisations worldwide are calling for the organisation to maintain its development role and not help implement international and regional trade rules.
WIPO Names Vivendi Executive Sylvie Forbin Of France New DDG For Copyright 14/07/2016 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments The World Intellectual Property Organization director general has named Sylvie Forbin of France, a veteran diplomat and copyright industry representative, as the next head of the WIPO Copyright and Creative Industries Sector. Forbin was chosen from more than 300 applicants, according to WIPO.
Gilead’s Use Of Patents For $10B Tax Dodge Could Ignite Move For Policy Change 13/07/2016 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Gilead is the US company whose use of patents to charge $1000 per pill for a hepatitis C medicine in the United States helped make high drug prices a developed country household issue and fodder for elected officials seeking change. Now the company has come under further fire after being found to have moved some US$10 billion overseas to avoid US taxes – even after having received US taxpayer support for its activities – which it orchestrated by moving its patent rights overseas. A new report detailing the company’s tax dodge includes a proposal for a way to clamp down on this type of patent activity.
New Book On Price-Reducing Strategies For Essential Medicines Under IPRs 13/07/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A new book and website examine the impact of intellectual property rights on access to new essential medicines and call for measures that were used to reduce prices of patented HIV medicines to be applied in the case of essential medicines.
Opposition To Kenyan “Anti-Innovation” ICT Bill Grows 13/07/2016 by Maina Waruru for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A bill introduced in Kenya’s parliament intended to streamline, govern and regulate the country’s information and communications technology (ICT) sector has been met with opposition from different quarters over fears that it could put ICT technicians out of practice and stifle the country’s innovation capacity if passed into law.
Post-Huawei v ZTE: Are FRAND Negotiations Finally More Balanced In Europe? 13/07/2016 by Magda Voltolini for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment BARCELONA, Spain — The Huawei v ZTE Case C – 170/13, 21 July 2015 prescribed some guidelines for fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) licensing negotiations, for both standard-essential patent holders and users. A recent private-sector panel addressed European FRAND case law and the latest information and communications technology industry policy opinions, in particular concerning royalty assessment rate (end-user or technology), royalty stacking, patent pool approach and injunctions.
How Are Licensors And Licensees Adapting To New Scenarios? 12/07/2016 by Magda Voltolini for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment BARCELONA, Spain — A recent industry conference panel here covered topics of changing intellectual property scenarios perceived from different angles, in particular from operating companies which manufacture products or services and patent assertion entities (PAEs).
CopyCamp 2016 Open Call 12/07/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Modern Poland Foundation is pleased to launch an Open Call for Speakers at the 5th International CopyCamp Conference (October 27-28, 2016 in Warsaw).
Focus On Medicines Patents & Prices Alone May Do More Harm Than Good 12/07/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Populism is in vogue these days and critics of pharmaceutical patents are trying to ride the wave, claiming that undermining patents will dramatically decrease prices but not reduce innovation. Both sides of that claim are flawed, writes Steven Tepp.