Funding Injection For New Antibiotics: The CARB-X Transatlantic Partnership 30/03/2017 by Kim Treanor for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A partnership of government agencies and organisations in the United States and United Kingdom have announced an investment of up to US$48 million into the development of new antibiotics and products to fight antibiotic resistant bacteria, with the aim of having two new antibiotics in human trials in the next five years.
USPTO Director Lee Emerges From Silence, Praises Latin America For Joining Patenting Scheme 29/03/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Michelle Lee, today resurfaced after weeks of silence, speaking after the trilateral meeting of the US, European and Japan patent offices. Among her remarks was praise for Latin American countries for joining the Patent Prosecution Highway, which she said has already resulted in much faster patents in the region.
A Look At Optimal Patent Regimes For Canada 21/03/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments A new policy brief from the Centre for International Governance Innovation, in Waterloo, Canada argues that Canada should pursue a weaker national patent regime. Acknowledging that Canada already has agreed to certain levels of protection through international treaties and trade agreements, Blit warns that future agreements that strengthen intellectual property protections would not benefit Canada.
Do US Patent Incentives Need To Change To Get The ‘Cancer Moonshot’ Off The Ground? 16/03/2017 by Kim Treanor for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment In December, the United States Congress passed a bill with a monumental goal: engaging the private sector to work with each other, and with the government, to develop new treatments for cancer. The mechanics of cancer research, however, may require fundamental changes to our patent system if the initiative is to be successful. Intellectual Property Watch recently sat down with Jacob Sherkow, associate professor of law and affiliated faculty at the Innovation Center for Law and Technology at New York University Law School, to discuss challenges to overcome to get the Moonshot off the ground.
Under Pressure, US Confirms Michelle Lee Is Still USPTO Director 14/03/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A letter made public only by a United States Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request confirms that Michelle Lee remains the director of the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), ending a mystery that has been curiously kept secret since President Trump took office over 50 days ago.
3D Printing In Africa: Huge Benefit Or Big IP Threat? 13/03/2017 by Munyaradzi Makoni for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment CAPE TOWN, South Africa – The five-metre tall 3D printer dwarfs four engineers in the renewable energy laboratory at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, the biggest tertiary institution in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.
US High Court Backs Foreign Manufacturers Over US Patentees 10/03/2017 by Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Under Donald Trump, the United States has adopted new, protectionist policies. “America first,” the President has repeatedly and loudly declared. It appears, however, that the US Supreme Court didn’t get the memo. The Court, in a recent patent law case, sided with foreign companies and consumers, at the expense of US patent owners. The unanimous ruling protects international supply chains instead of domestic US manufacturing.
Workshop: How To Tackle The High Cost Of Prescription Drugs In The US 09/03/2017 by Kim Treanor for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A recent workshop held on the doorstep of policymakers in the United States drew speakers from academic and activist circles to examine the mechanisms in US law which could help lead to lower prescription drug prices.
Patent Data – The Modern Investor’s Crystal Ball 06/03/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Sirena Rubinoff writes: What if there was a crystal ball that could tell you where and when to invest your money? It sounds like science fiction, but engineers at MIT have actually developed a formula that can predict future events in tech development. The formula is based on a combination of big data from patent applications and smart analytics which, when put together, can estimate how fast a technology is advancing.
USTR Issues 2017 Trade Policy Review, Listing IPR Priorities 01/03/2017 by Kim Treanor for Intellectual Property Watch and William New 2 Comments The Office of the United States Trade Representative today released its 2017 trade policy agenda. The report includes numerous references to intellectual property rights, mainly focused on enforcement, plans for multilateral discussions on IPR and trade, and promises of an aggressive stance on geographical indications. But overall it is short on overall details about what’s to come with the new administration.