Medicines Patent Pool Director Ellen ‘t Hoen To Leave Next Month 16/04/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Executive Director Ellen ‘t Hoen is departing the Medicines Patent Pool, the cutting edge UN spin-off project that works to lower prices on and stimulate new development of HIV medicines and other products through negotiating voluntary licence agreements. According to a release, ‘t Hoen has fulfilled the mission of guiding the organisation from a startup onto “firm footing” and has informed the Board that she will leave on 1 May.
Changes Coming For Open Access To Research In Europe 16/04/2012 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Pressure is growing in Europe for open, free access to research results, particularly if they are publicly funded. The European Commission (EC) said this week it will propose a plan for open access soon, while the Wellcome Trust and Research Councils UK are cracking down on researchers who don’t comply with their policies.
US Supreme Court Edges Toward Reviewing Extent Of GMO Patents 13/04/2012 by Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment It’s unclear if the US Supreme Court wants to address yet another controversial issue in patent law, but on 2 April, the court took a small step in that direction. That’s when the court formally asked the US Justice Department to opine on whether the high court should grant certiorari in Bowman v. Monsanto Co.
US Government Report: IP Boon To US Economy, Accounts For 40 Million Jobs 12/04/2012 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Intellectual property-intensive industries in the United States support at least 40 million jobs and contribute more than $5 trillion – or 34.8 percent of – US gross domestic product (GDP), according to a report released by the Obama administration Wednesday.
EPO Response: No Tricks On Patents On Seeds And Plants 05/04/2012 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment In response to a report published on 3 April by civil society group No Patent on Seeds alleging that industry and patent examiners in the European Patent Office are finding legal loopholes to grant patents on seeds and plants, an EPO spokesperson told Intellectual Property Watch the patent office does not “apply tricks” to grant patents.
After Mayo, Is Patent Law More Restrictive In US Than Europe? 05/04/2012 by Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The United States is known for taking an unusually expansive approach towards patentable subject matter. Compared with Western Europe, for instance, the US has been far readier to grant patents on business methods, medical diagnostic processes, and human genes.
Intellectual Property Strategy: A Wise Man’s Guide 05/04/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A recently published book by Harvard Law School Professor John Palfrey offers a thoughtful and useful handbook for executives or just about anyone else to better understand and use intellectual property, in ways that encourage sharing and openness.
Group Says Industry, EPO Finding Loopholes To Patent Seeds, Plants 04/04/2012 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A new report by civil society group No Patent on Seeds was issued yesterday alleging that industry and patent examiners in the European Patent Office are “using legal loopholes to grant patents on seeds, plants and even harvest and food products derived thereof.”
Book Details IP Rights And Development 02/04/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Using on-the-ground research in Africa and the Netherlands, the authors of a recent book looked at the impact of intellectual property on agriculture and health in developing countries. The study made some surprise findings in relation to IP and development, such as IP-related obstacles to knowledge and technology transfer.
Novartis India Challenge Postponed To July 28/03/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The Indian Supreme Court today postponed hearing the high-profile case involving Swiss pharmaceutical producer Novartis’ challenge of India’s patent law until July, according to sources.