Russia’s Promising Combined Ebola Vaccine: Phase III Trials To Start In 2016 15/02/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Russian Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova said today that two “highly effective” vaccines against Ebola have been developed over the course of 15 months in Russia. The combined vaccine GamEvac-Combi was presented during a briefing, with the two scientists who developed it, who own the intellectual property rights on the vaccines in Russia.
FAO Symposium On Agricultural Biotech Raises Lobbying Concerns 15/02/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments An international symposium on how agricultural biotechnologies can benefit small farmers organised by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation is taking place this week. Small farmers and civil society raised concerns about the influence of agribusiness on FAO policies, as the ghost of a 2010 conference and farmers’ ire lingers.
UN Panel On Access To Medicines Extends Deadline For Contributions 15/02/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The United Nations High-Level Panel on Access to Medicines has announced that the deadline for the submission of stakeholders’ contributions has been extended to 28 February 2016. The panel also lifted restrictions on the number of contributions authors can submit.
Serbia Eyes Trademark Opposition System, Appoints New Patent Office Head 15/02/2016 by Jaroslaw Adamowski for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Serbian government and parliament are currently drafting a new trademark law for the country which is to introduce the trademark opposition system into national IP legislation. Meanwhile, the cabinet of Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic recently appointed Vladimir Maric as the new acting director of Serbia’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO).
European Patent, Plant Variety Offices Boost Cooperation 12/02/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The European Patent Office (EPO) and Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO) will cooperate more closely in the area of plant-related patents and plant variety rights, they said on 11 February.
Changes Among IP Experts In Private Sector, Law Offices And More 12/02/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Movements at the World Economic Forum, the United States Patent and Trademark Office, along with changes in the academic and private sectors worlds marked the beginning of 2016. The early part of the new year has also brought some changes in the intellectual property divisions of law firms.
WHO Full Speed On Zika R&D, Two Candidate Vaccines Emerging; Funders, Journals Commit To Sharing Of Data 12/02/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments In an update on research and development against the Zika virus, the World Health Organization today said several companies are working on diagnostic tools, and two candidate vaccines are being considered. Discussions are ongoing with countries to encourage sharing of samples of the virus with the WHO, and leading organisations and scientific journals signed a declaration yesterday on the sharing of data for public health emergencies.
US Congress Passes Customs Bill With Strong IP Enforcement Provisions 12/02/2016 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United States Congress today (11 February) passed the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act, establishing clearer rules on customs officials’ work to stop infringing goods from entering the US. The Act creates a new National IP Coordination Center for coordinating investigations, training and other activities.
Discussions On Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge Resume At WIPO Against Stormy Background 11/02/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment After a hiatus of one year, the WIPO Committee working on the protection of genetic resources, traditional knowledge and folklore against misappropriation resumes its work next week. The subject is touchy, with most developing countries asking for legal protection, while some developed countries do not want to consider binding rules. Disagreement already arose at the end of 2015 over interpretation of the committee’s mandate, freshly approved in October.
US Industry IP Index Rates Nations 11/02/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The United States Chamber of Commerce has released an index rating countries on their use and treatment of intellectual property and innovation, finding the United States to be top in the world. The report scores the largest emerging economies relatively low, including China, despite that country’s dominance in rates of IP filings in recent years, […]