USPTO Anticipates Slight Decline In Patent Filings, Including For PCT 20/02/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is predicting a slight decline in some patent filings for 2018 and 2019, including through the international Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) managed by the World Intellectual Property Organization. Trademarks, meanwhile, will likely see slowing growth.
New Chair’s Text On WIPO Broadcasting Treaty Reflects Country Proposals 20/02/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The chair of the World Intellectual Property Organization committee on copyright issued revised language last week on core articles of a potential treaty protecting broadcasting organisations against signal piracy. The document shows a trimmer set of different proposals by countries during informal discussions to address issues such as what the treaty should protect, which rights should be granted, and who should benefit from such rights.
Japan Patent Office Decides “TE’ CON MIEL” (Tea With Honey) Is Distinctive In Relation To Tea 20/02/2018 by Guest contributor for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment In a recent trademark opposition, the Opposition Board of the Japan Patent Office (JPO) decided to overrule the opposition against TM Registration no. 5951823 for word mark “TÉ CON MIEL” designating tea in class 30 due to distinctiveness of the mark among relevant Japanese consumers.
US 2019 Budget Proposal Shows Stable Funding For WIPO, WTO, WHO, ITU 19/02/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment While the Trump administration has taken aim overall at US contributions to international organisations since taking office last year, the budget proposal it put forward last week would roughly maintain last year’s lower levels for a range of Geneva-based agencies without making further cuts. Others did not fare as well.
Gilead Wins Sovaldi Domain Dispute Over Buyers’ Club Generic Sellers 16/02/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Pharmaceutical company Gilead has made headlines in recent years for offering the hepatitis C drug Sovaldi that has helped many patients. And for the fact that it came with an eye-popping price tag. Perhaps in a sign of the times, Gilead this month won an open-and-shut case against a squatter on the domain name “sovaldi.eu,” that was offering lower-priced generic versions of Sovaldi, including through links to “buyers’ clubs” organised to obtain medicines more affordably. The website was called, “SOVALDI. The life-saving cure for Hepatitis C which nobody can afford.” Was it a little act of rebellion, or just another internet opportunist?
WHO Names High-Profile Commission On Non-Communicable Diseases 16/02/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The World Health Organization today announced a new high-level commission of heads of state, ministers and other leaders in health and development to come up with “bold and innovative solutions” against non-communicable diseases such as heart and respiratory diseases, cancers and diabetes. The chairs of the commission include the presidents of Uruguay, Sri Lanka, and Finland, the Russian health minister, and a former minister of Pakistan who was a candidate for director general of the WHO. They are joined by nearly two dozen others, including corporate public figures Michael Bloomberg and Jack Ma.
New Draft WIPO Broadcasting Treaty Text Published 16/02/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Intellectual Property Organization has circulated a new draft text on definitions in the global broadcasting copyright treaty that is under discussion at the UN agency. The draft was prepared by the chair of the WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR), which will meet later this spring.
Copyright For Libraries Around The World In 2018 16/02/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Copyright laws around the world are constantly changing in an attempt to adapt – or react – to the digital world. These changes can have a major impact on how libraries function and on the public service they provide. While some reforms offer new possibilities and legal certainty, others look backwards and seek to use the law to restrict the ability of libraries to guarantee meaningful information access to their users, IFLA writes.
Interview With Peter Vanderheyden, CEO Of Article One Partners 15/02/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Article One Partners (AOP), the world leader in crowdsourced intellectual property research, is now into their 10th year. Intellectual Property Watch recently arranged an interview with Article One Partners CEO Peter Vanderheyden to get an update on how the company has evolved in response to the ever-changing IP landscape, and in light of their commitment to IP quality.
Indian Pharma Industry Disputes US Industry IP Index 15/02/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United States Chamber of Commerce industry group recently issued its annual global IP index, analysing intellectual property protection in 50 countries, as a prelude to the annual US government list of countries seen as not adequately protection US companies’ IP rights. Now an Indian industry group has issued a counter-statement to the Chamber index, calling it a “tirade” and “self-serving”.