European Patent, Plant Variety Offices Boost Cooperation 12/02/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The European Patent Office (EPO) and Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO) will cooperate more closely in the area of plant-related patents and plant variety rights, they said on 11 February.
EPO Revokes Monsanto Patent On Virus-Resistant Melon 22/01/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 10 Comments The European Patent Office on 20 January revoked a patent held by Monsanto on virus-resistant melons for technical reasons, much to the glee of opponents of patents on conventional plants. [updated]
Medicines Patent Pool Announces Sub-Licensing Agreements For Hepatitis C Generics 20/01/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments By Jahan ‘Harry’ Taubman-Rezakhanlou for Intellectual Property Watch The Medicines Patent Pool today announced its first round of sub-licensing agreements with four generic manufacturers for the production and sale of a generic line of Bristol-Myers Squibb’s daclatasvir to 112 lower-to middle income countries.
Copyright, Unitary Patent System Lead EU IP Priorities In 2016 19/01/2016 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Modernisation of EU copyright and intellectual property rights enforcement law tops Europe’s agenda in 2016. Trademark reform legislation approved last year takes effect this year, and a preliminary deal on trade secrets protection is expected to be finalised. Work on the unitary patent system continues, and there’s an increased focus on the issue of patents versus plant breeders’ rights.
How To Manage Patent Costs With Quality Applications, Accurate Translations 13/01/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The number of patent applications filed worldwide continues to increase, up by 4.6 percent in 2014 for a total of nearly 2.7 million, according to the 2015 edition of the World Intellectual Property Indicators. The increasing number of patents filed worldwide demonstrates the strength of ongoing innovation and the value companies put on protecting their intellectual property where they wish to do business. The filing numbers would likely be even higher, and across more countries, if the filers were more prepared for the costs associated with filing patents.
50+ US Congress Members Urge Reasonable Licensing Terms For Government-Funded Medical Patents 11/01/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments More than 50 members of the United States Congress today sent a letter urging the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) to exercise their legal authority to require medical patents that have emerged from government-funded medical research projects to be licensed on reasonable and affordable terms for public use.
New Patent Search Capability For Chemical Compounds In Progress At WIPO 11/12/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The World Intellectual Property Organization is working on an extension to its patent search systems to include specific searches for chemical compounds. The system is expected to be operational by July 2016.
No Future Work Programme For WIPO Patent Law Committee; Questions On Development Orientation 06/12/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Two days of informal consultations last week did not bring World Intellectual Property Organization members to agreement on a work programme for the next session of its committee on the law of patents. Developed and developing countries have different views on the work of the committee, with developing countries seeking work on patent on health, and limitations and exceptions to patent rights, while developed countries are more interested in work-sharing between patent offices and protecting the confidentiality of information between patent advisers and their clients.
Beyond The Good Old Patent System: Make Sure To Share, Innovator Recommends 06/12/2015 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The habit of patenting innovative products is being challenged by ever faster innovation cycles, the growing need for collaboration and co-invention, and what some classical patentees see as a “virus” of open source licensing. The tenth edition of the IP Summit, hosted in Berlin this year, heard some interesting stories from the smart home and smart car business.
Law Boosts Awareness, Patents From Research Institutions In South Africa 04/12/2015 by Munyaradzi Makoni for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment CAPE TOWN, South Africa — A law to regulate intellectual property derived from research and development conducted using public funds has boosted the number of patent applications filed and granted by universities and research institutions in the past five years.