Category Patents/Designs/Trade Secrets

Novel Legal Attack On Patent Trolls Falters In US

It began last May, when a tiny state in the United States launched a novel legal attack against a notorious patent troll. Other states and the federal government soon followed, all asserting that the troll’s efforts to licence its patents violated consumer protection laws. At first, this new legal strategy produced some significant victories. Many experts and government officials embraced consumer protection law as an important new tool against patent trolls. But a recent court ruling has cast doubt on the future of this once-promising strategy.

Year Ahead: Biotech, IP Promise to Create Controversy From Farms To Big Pharma In 2014

The intersection of biotechnology and intellectual property continues to be a hot topic across the globe. From the patenting of certain plant varieties to human genes, to biodiversity and food security, to genetic resources, countries from developing to developed are attempting to navigate often blurred lines in terms of what can and cannot be patented, what should - and shouldn’t - be patented, and protecting innovators from farmers to plant breeders to drug manufacturers.

Infojustice: Graphics Show Rise In US Pharma Exports To India, Patent Grants By India

Mike Palmedo at Infojustice.org writes: "The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) is currently investigating “Indian industrial policies that discriminate against U.S. imports… and the effect those barriers have on the U.S. economy and U.S. jobs.” The investigation was requested by Sen. Hatch, Sen. Baucus, Rep. Camp, and Rep. Levin, and the final report is due to be released in November. Last week it held a series of hearings, where it heard from U.S. business, Indian business, and civil society representatives."

White House Announces Actions On Patents

The White House today announced measures that it said will advance its battle against "patent trolls", and urged Congress to pass patent reform legislation toward the effort. And the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued a statement on its work in support of the executive actions.

Interview With Nazeem Mohamed, CEO Of Kampala Pharmaceutical Industries

Nazeem Mohamed is chief executive officer of Kampala Pharmaceutical Industries (KPI), a Ugandan generic manufacturer. Local manufacture of medicines is described by many, including the World Health Organization, as one of the tools that will increase access to medicines. Mohamed is former vice-president of strategic product development at Novo Nordisk, based in Belgium. He also worked for several leading multinational companies such as Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline before his appointment as CEO of KPI.

With Intellectual Property Watch, Mohamed discussed KPI, the challenges of local drug production, the burden of non-communicable diseases, the issue of substandard medicines, rules engineered in the West which can hinder affordability and access in a least-developed country, unfair competition, and unmet skills building needs.

TTIP: No Lowering Of Standards, Officials Say; New Trade Consultation Body Scrutinised

After three rounds of negotiations for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), European Union Trade Commissioner Karel de Gucht this week welcomed the progress so far. But negotiators have to “step up a gear,” de Gucht said after a two-day stocktaking meeting with the United States Trade Representative Michael Froman in Washington, DC on 18 February. Meanwhile, USTR announced new steps to raise public participation in trade negotiations.

Paper Makes Recommendations For Exhaustion Of IP Rights

A recent paper issued by the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) compares existing exhaustion policies and makes recommendations for countries in the process of adopting their own regimes in this area. These have the potential to contribute to economic and social development, innovation and the protection of user rights globally, it said.

Biopharma Industries, Others Urge Caution In US Patent Reform

A coalition of large and small companies and organisation - including the leading trade associations for the US pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries - has asked the US Congress to use caution in rewriting patent laws so as not to cause unintended harm to their ability to innovate.