Medicines For Europe Conference Tackles Top Legal Issues For Generic Drug Makers 26/04/2018 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments LONDON — Biosimilars, supplementary protection certificates and European Patent Office patent quality are among the priority issues for the generic drug manufacturing sector, speakers said Wednesday at a Medicines for Europe conference.
Charles Gore, Founder Of World Hepatitis Alliance, To Head Medicines Patent Pool 19/04/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The Medicines Patent Pool announced today that it has appointed Charles Gore as new executive director. Gore is founder and former president of the World Hepatitis Alliance.
Carlos Correa Named Head Of Intergovernmental South Centre 18/04/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Prof. Carlos Correa of Argentina, an influential academic whose analyses of patents and medicines access have informed debates and challenged the status quo for decades, has been named the next executive director of the South Centre. He will take over for Martin Khor, who will be retiring after nine years at the helm. Separately, former South African President Thabo Mbeki was named chair of the Board.
Patents On Delivery Devices Can Extend Drug Patent Protection For Years, Study Finds 17/04/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments The number of patents for drug delivery devices has shot up in recent years, and has had the effect of significantly extending the protection enjoyed by patented pharmaceuticals, delaying cheaper versions of the drugs and leading to higher prices, a recent paper found. And in a Q&A below, one of the authors raises an issue for policymakers.
Dozens Of NGOs Oppose Proposed EU Watch List On IP Rights 16/04/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A wide-ranging list of international nongovernmental organisations today issued a letter to European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström opposing a proposal to establish a “watch list” of countries deemed failing to protect European intellectual property. The groups raised concern that the list would violate World Trade Organization rules on intellectual property, have a chilling effect on developing countries’ public health initiatives, and lead to expanded and untenable levels of IP enforcement.
Fairness In Research Partnerships, Reporting System Presented At Geneva Health Forum 13/04/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Research collaborations between institutions in the North and institutions in the South often show a scientific and power imbalance. In the context of growing concerns about this issue, initiatives are being developed to increase fairness in research partnerships. In particular, the Research Fairness Initiative, providing a reporting system for institutions is gaining traction, according to speakers at the Geneva Health Forum this week.
Hope For Hepatitis C Patients In Poor Countries – New Affordable Combination With High Cure Rate 12/04/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A new affordable combination treatment for hepatitis C patients with a 97 percent cure rate was announced today.
At Geneva Health Forum: Importance Of High Quality Of Health Systems, Beyond Access 11/04/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Achieving a high percentage of universal health coverage often does not translate into a high quality of health systems, according to speakers at the opening of the Geneva Health Forum. While in developed countries people are demanding better quality, the expectations of people living in low and middle-income countries need to be raised, they said. Another panel looked at the use of big data and mathematical modelling as ways to improve health systems, including Facebook monitoring.
Taiwan IP Office Moves Beyond Politics To Forge Links With Other IP Offices, Enforce IP Rights 10/04/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment TAIPEI, Taiwan — The building is impressive. Taiwan’s intellectual property office, located in the Dan-an district of Taipei, deals with patents, trademarks, designs, and utility models. Not being a recognised member of the United Nations, Taiwan cannot access the World Intellectual Property Organization treaties, in particular the Patent Cooperation Treaty. However, Taiwan is dedicated to enforcing IP rights, and entertains agreements with several IP offices in the world, including China, which is Taiwan’s major trading partner.
US Imprisons Chinese Scientist For Theft Of Engineered Rice Seeds 04/04/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A Chinese scientist has been sentenced to jail for more than 10 years for conspiring to steal samples of a highly developed variety of genetically modified rice seeds from a Kansas biopharmaceutical research facility, the US Justice Department said in a release.