Panellists Discuss Value Of Patent Pooling For HIV/AIDS, Potential For Other Diseases 25/09/2014 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A side event to this week’s World Intellectual Property Organization annual General Assembly highlighted the work of the Geneva-based Medicines Patent Pool in fighting HIV/AIDS, and discussed whether it makes sense for the patent pool model to be extended to other diseases.
Experts Look At The Meaning Of Myriad Case, One Year Later 16/09/2014 by Brittany Ngo for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment IRVINE, CALIFORNIA – Experts gathered here last week addressed the question of – one year later – what does the United States Supreme Court’s decision on human gene patents mean for scientific research and patent policy?
WHO Health Specialists Meeting To Evaluate Potential Ebola Therapies and Vaccines 03/09/2014 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The World Health Organization this week is holding a consultation on potential Ebola therapies and vaccines.
Biosimilar Medicines Need Strong Regulation, IP Crucial For Innovation, Pharma Says 29/08/2014 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Biosimilar medicines might prove to be a new reservoir for innovation for the pharmaceutical industry. However, the complexity of their manufacture needs a stringent regulatory framework, according to the industry.
New Proposal To Keep Indigenous Peoples On WIPO Traditional Knowledge Committee 26/08/2014 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments A group of countries has submitted a new proposal to the upcoming meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organization budget committee to allow the continued participation of indigenous peoples representatives in WIPO’s committee on traditional knowledge and genetic resources.
World Drug Regulatory Authorities Meet In Brazil; Biosimilars In Focus 26/08/2014 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Drug regulatory authorities are meeting this week in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to discuss global regulatory issues such as vaccine regulation, falsified products, and pharmacovigilance. A “pre-conference” focused on biosimilars, with civil society warning on barriers to access to those products.
Human Eggs That Can’t Develop Into Human Beings Should Be Patentable, EU High Court Advisor Says 17/07/2014 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Unfertilised human eggs that can’t develop into human beings are generally not “human embryos” within the meaning of the EU directive on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions, a 17 July European Court of Justice Advocate General opinion said. The opinion is good news for researchers into stem cell therapies, said a member of the industry group IP Federation, who added he hopes it will be upheld by the ECJ. But one biotech civil society member said the ruling, if it stands, could be abused.
Codex Alimentarius Adopts New Food Safety Recommendations 17/07/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A joint United Nations commission on food safety this week has set several new standards on level of lead, arsenic and drugs appearing in food.
With 51 Ratifications, Nagoya Protocol To Enter Into Force In October 15/07/2014 by Maëli Astruc for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Nagoya Protocol on access and benefit-sharing of genetic resources will enter into force on 12 October, following the ratification of 12 more countries last week.
360 Applicants Bid For Top WIPO Posts; Selection Process Underway 15/07/2014 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The World Intellectual Property Organization is currently engaged in an unprecedented process for the selection of the new top management team to serve under recently re-elected Director General Francis Gurry. The open call for applicants resulted in some 360 applications from around the world, including from the upper echelons of WIPO itself, according to sources.