WIPO Draft Treaty Text On Genetic Resources Joins Folklore, Traditional Knowledge 04/03/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Country experts this week took up the challenge of doing the groundwork for negotiations towards a treaty on the protection of genetic resources at the World Intellectual Property Organization. Breaking uncharacteristically early on the final day today, the experts’ work delivered a set of options reflecting all points of views for negotiators to work from.
Draft WIPO Instrument On Genetic Resources Shows Lists Of Options 04/03/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A new draft document was issued yesterday by a drafting group of experts at the World Intellectual Property Organization. The drafting group was in charge of cleaning up a text with aspirations to become a draft international instrument on the protection of genetic resources, and added a number of options for a possible treaty.
WTO Talks On Geographical Indications Unable To Achieve Lift-Off 04/03/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments World Trade Organization members on Thursday combed through a composite text displaying the different views on a mandated multilateral system of notification and registration of geographical indications on wines and spirits. The composite text was developed last week as the result of several informal meetings. Countries now have clarified their inputs to the document and tried to define what next steps should be taken to refine it, but discussions were difficult, according to participants.
Genetics Company Myriad May Shift From Patents To Proprietary Data 03/03/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments Myriad Genetics, a United States-based biotechnology company with exclusive patent rights over a key breast cancer diagnostic test in the US, may shift its patent strategy from its inventions to protecting its data in the face of drawn out litigation and upcoming competition, an industry journal has reported.
Patentable Subject Matter, IP Waiver For Health Discussed At WTO 02/03/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Patentable subject matter was discussed this week at the World Trade Organization with entrenched positions, according to sources, and the momentum started in October on ways to improve a public health exception within the WTO Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement, appeared to have lost some steam.
Debate Rises Over Elevating Profile Of Genetic Resources At WIPO 01/03/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Experts discussing the protection of genetic resources at the World Intellectual Property Organization this week are struggling to stay within their technical mandate as the issues carry significant political impact. Discussions today resulted in a marked-up text on objectives and principles of a possible international instrument that reveals key differences among members on the role of IP, and of WIPO, in genetic resources.
Are The Stars Aligned For US Patent Reform This Year? 01/03/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment In a week in which the United States Congress is fighting to avoid a government shutdown over budget disagreements and political posturing is high, technocrats and friends of innovative businesses are working to get passage of a bill to reform US patent law.
Long Week Ahead For WIPO Experts Considering Treaty On IP And Genetic Resources 28/02/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Having successfully advanced discussions toward treaties on the protection of folklore and traditional knowledge, country experts this week are meeting at the World Intellectual Property Organization to discuss the protection of genetic resources. But this time, it might prove trickier.
Building A Consensus To Address The Health Threat Posed By Fake Medicines 25/02/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment On the eve of a meeting of the WHO working group on substandard/spurious/falsely-labelled/falsified/counterfeit medical products, research-based pharmaceutical industry group IFPMA sets out thoughts on building global consensus to address fake medicines.
WIPO Traditional Knowledge Experts In Small Groups To Craft Treaty Text 23/02/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments After two days of broad analysis of a draft document on traditional knowledge, country experts were to convene today in small drafting groups to trim down the language and arrive at a treaty negotiating text for the delegates meeting at the World Intellectual Property Organization in May.