World’s Most Effective HIV Drug Rolled Out In Africa In Generic Version29/06/2017 by Fredrick Nzwili for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a CommentNAIROBI, Kenya – A generic version of dolutegravir (DTG), the drug of choice for the last two years for people living with HIV in high-income countries, is now available in Africa. On 28 June, the government of Kenya and drug pricing and innovation mechanism Unitaid unveiled the new first-line drug in an effort to accelerate access to better antiretroviral (ARV) drugs for her people living with HIV. It becomes the first country in Africa to introduce the generic version of drug.
WTO Info Tech Agreement Symposium: Is Expansion To Digital Trade In The Cards?29/06/2017 by Elise De Geyter for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a CommentOn the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the World Trade Organization Agreement this week, several speakers and delegates called for a further expansion of the landmark deal, possibly in ways that include digital trade and better incorporate developing countries. Many information and communication technology (ICT) products are not part of the list of products under the ITA, speakers said, and negotiations about an expansion of the list of products may take a long time.
EPO Will Not Allow Patents On Plants, Animals From Biological Processes29/06/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 CommentThe European Patent Office today issued a clarification about the patenting of plant and animal products, putting it in line with a European Commission clarification that such products obtained through a biological breeding process should not be patentable.
US High Court OKs Bigoted Trademarks29/06/2017 by Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a CommentWhen the US Supreme Court issued its decision in Matal v. Tam, trademark applicants celebrated, hailing it as a victory for free speech and trademark rights. But some trademark owners will become very unhappy about the ramifications of the Court’s 19 June ruling.
Remote Sensing And (Geo-) ICTs, Prime Tools To Achieve SDGs, WSIS Forum Hears29/06/2017 by Elise De Geyter for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a CommentRemote sensing and geo-ICT are prime technological tools to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, according to VITO, the Flemish Institute for Technological Research. But technology should not be considered as “deus ex machina,” a speaker added during the recent World Summit on the Information Society Forum (the WSIS Forum 2017).
Launch Of Open Access Book On Geographical Indications In Asia-Pacific29/06/2017 by Elise De Geyter for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a CommentA new book launched this week in Geneva offers a unique compilation of the challenges and promises of the protection of geographical indications (GIs) with a particular focus on countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
Novartis Loses Claim On Extension Of Data Exclusivity28/06/2017 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a CommentIn a decision today, the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg put an end to a complaint by Novartis Europharm Ltd against the European Commission over the terms for data exclusivity (C-629/15 P). Novartis had appealed an earlier decision by the European Court (the first instance) which had rejected the claims by the pharmaceutical company that it should be granted additional data exclusivity for Aclasta, developed from Novartis’ older drug Zometa. No way, the Court of Justice said today, upholding the judgment by the lower court that had found that Novartis’ interpretation of the rules would effectively allow the extension of data exclusivity for a drug forever.
Joint Effort Required To Expand Local Online Content And Broadband Access28/06/2017 by Elise De Geyter for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a CommentThe lack of content on the internet in local languages and the lack of local digital skills, especially among women and girls, remain central challenges for the digital economy, speakers said during a panel discussion at the recent World Summit on the Information Society Forum 2017 (WSIS Forum 2017).
Access And Benefit-Sharing (ABS) Initiative To Continue Cooperation With WIPO28/06/2017 by Elise De Geyter for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a CommentThe Access and Benefit Sharing Capacity Development Initiative (ABS Initiative) and the World Intellectual Property Organization will continue their cooperation and produce “further good events,” it became known during a recent event organised by WIPO. The initiative relates to genetic resources.
New WIPO Publications To Help Policymakers With Protection Of TK, Folklore27/06/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a CommentFor years, the intellectual property system, created to protect products of the mind including inventions, held little interest for the continually evolving ancestral culture of indigenous peoples. But the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities are now discussed in many fora, including the World Intellectual Property Organization, where the focus is how to use the IP system to protect indigenous knowledge and genetic resources from misappropriation and exploitation. And the UN organisation just issued two publications on possible ways to use the IP system to do just that.
