Patent On Conventional Plant Dismissed For Lack Of Novelty, Firm Says 24/03/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The District Court of The Hague (Netherlands) ruled last week that a patent for red radish plants is invalid in the Netherlands for lack of novelty but did not rule on the fact that the particular plant was bred using essential biological processes. The case, between two Dutch companies, related to red radish sprouts on which one company held a patent.
Open Source Model In Computers Should Be Applied To Genomic Data, Paper Says 22/03/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Genomic data should be made publicly available for the promotion of science as a global public good, a new paper argues. Two researchers suggest that a model inspired by the open-source computer software movement should be developed for plant breeding, animal breeding, and biomedicine.
EU Trade Commissioner Suggests Special Court For ISDS Cases 18/03/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment European Union Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem today defended the inclusion of investor-state dispute settlement panels in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), but offered several amendments for consideration.
NetMundial Initiative: Still Breathing 06/03/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment After a report by the Register’s Kieren McCarthy on a postponement of the inaugural meeting of the NetMundial Initiative (NMI) Council discussions were revived over the need for the new body in several mailing lists.
Global Fund Publishes Terms Of Reference Of Equitable Access Initiative 02/03/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment An initiative spearheaded by the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to ensure equitable access to medicines in particular in middle-income countries now has a dedicated webpage publishing the terms of reference of the initiative. Also available is the list of high-level participants who attended the first meeting of the initiative held last week.
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.
Researchers Find Liberalised Google Keywords Not Harmful To Trademarks 22/02/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A Swiss-US team of researchers is challenging the “belief that the granting of property rights is necessary in order to overcome information asymmetries and other market failures in consumer markets,” a core concept in the fight over trademark protection on the internet.
WTO Back At The Discussion Table On GI Register 08/12/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment An informal meeting is scheduled to take place on 12 December at the World Trade Organization on a multilateral register for geographical indications of wines and spirits. The meeting is expected to discuss how to move the work in the negotiations, and how to reflect it in the post-Bali work programme, according to a source.
Paper Proposes Access And Benefit Mechanisms To Help Implement Nagoya Protocol 04/12/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments A recent paper proposes that countries use the access and benefit-sharing mechanism of the Nagoya Protocol to ensure conservation action and effective implementation of the protocol.
US IP Industry Meeting With Indian Judges A “Ruse”, Activists Say 17/11/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Public health activists and others have been watching closely in recent months as United States government and industry officials meet steadily and intensively with Indian counterparts to press change in that country’s intellectual property policy toward greater protection and recognition of western IP rights. A particular area of concern has been in pharmaceuticals, as India is said to be the world’s top supplier of affordable generic versions of drugs under patent that otherwise would be out of reach for millions of poor patients. Several activists have raised alarm over a meeting this week of US IP industry representatives with top judges in India.