Brazil’s Federal Court Reviews Medicines Mailbox Patents 04/05/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment This week the media reported that the Brazilian federal court removed the patent protection for eculizumab, sold under the brand name Soliris by Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. Eculizumab is used in the treatment of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), a rare and life-threatening blood disease. The product was approved by the US FDA for this indication in 2016. Brazil’s health care system spent $184.2 million to treat 442 patients with Soliris, an average of over $416,000 per patient. The patent office expects that more revocations may follow. This blog explains why this is.
Ukraine Eyes Patent Law Reform After Civil Society Push On Medicines Access 30/04/2018 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 14 Comments Ukrainian lawmakers are poised to approve sweeping patent reform legislation, driven in large part by a push by patients’ groups for better access to affordable medicines and healthcare.
Panel: E-Commerce Crucial For Development, Some Eager To Negotiate At WTO 18/04/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and its annual weeklong event focused on electronic commerce inspired a group of World Trade Organization members to launch a roadmap for e-commerce last year. This week, at the start of the fourth UNCTAD E-Commerce Week, a panel commented on the importance of e-commerce discussions at the World Trade Organization, even as some of the WTO membership disagrees on a new negotiating mandate.
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.
China’s “Theft” Of Foreign Technology Prompts Unlawful US Response, Experts Say 13/04/2018 by Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment This time Donald Trump was correct: China has, for years, unfairly obtained and exploited American intellectual property and technology. But Trump’s response – imposing $50 billion in tariffs annually on a wide variety of Chinese imports – is problematic, experts warn. The tariffs appear to violate World Trade Organization rules, undermine the international rules-based economic order that has served the West well for decades, and threaten to ignite a trade war between the world’s two biggest economies.
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.
Springtime Moves In The IP Community 10/04/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The beginning of the year saw a particularly high number of changes at law firms and in the United States government. Also the World Trade Organization named a list of new chairpersons for its committees, the World Economic Forum named the head of its new cybersecurity centre, and Swiss pharma company Roche has a new head of research and development.
US Says China’s WTO Case On Steel, Aluminum Baseless, Not Safeguards 04/04/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United States today said China’s request for dispute settlement consultations at the World Trade Organization is “baseless,” as the recent US measures against imports of Chinese steel and aluminum are not safeguards and so do not warrant the $3 billion in retaliation subsequently announced by China. Nevertheless, the US said it is willing to hold consultations with China, but not related to the WTO Agreement on Safeguards.
China-US Tensions Over IP Measures Rise At WTO Dispute Body 27/03/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Another debate occurred today at the World Trade Organization between the United States and China over new US measures against China’s alleged failure to fairly protect US intellectual property rights under domestic and international rules.
At WTO, US Defends Actions Against China On IPR 26/03/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Trade Organization is heating up as the global venue for nations to air concerns about others’ increasing action to protect markets and restrict trade, including as it relates to intellectual property rights protection. Today, a committee saw WTO members questioning each others’ practices, including the new actions by the United States to investigate China for failure to protect US IP rights and unfairly disadvantaging foreign companies in China. And a new WTO case filed by the United States comes as the US had been critical of the multilateral trade body, but comments made by the US delegation today show its determination to more broadly improve WTO dispute resolution.