WHO Health Specialists Meeting To Evaluate Potential Ebola Therapies and Vaccines
The World Health Organization this week is holding a consultation on potential Ebola therapies and vaccines.
Intellectual Property Watch
Original news and analysis on international IP policy
Category Biodiversity/Genetic Resources/Biotech
Biosimilar Medicines Need Strong Regulation, IP Crucial For Innovation, Pharma Says
Biosimilar medicines might prove to be a new reservoir for innovation for the pharmaceutical industry. However, the complexity of their manufacture needs a stringent regulatory framework, according to the industry.
New Proposal To Keep Indigenous Peoples On WIPO Traditional Knowledge Committee
A group of countries has submitted a new proposal to the upcoming meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organization budget committee to allow the continued participation of indigenous peoples representatives in WIPO’s committee on traditional knowledge and genetic resources.
World Drug Regulatory Authorities Meet In Brazil; Biosimilars In Focus
Drug regulatory authorities are meeting this week in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to discuss global regulatory issues such as vaccine regulation, falsified products, and pharmacovigilance. A “pre-conference” focused on biosimilars, with civil society warning on barriers to access to those products.
Human Eggs That Can’t Develop Into Human Beings Should Be Patentable, EU High Court Advisor Says
Unfertilised human eggs that can't develop into human beings are generally not “human embryos” within the meaning of the EU directive on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions, a 17 July European Court of Justice Advocate General opinion said. The opinion is good news for researchers into stem cell therapies, said a member of the industry group IP Federation, who added he hopes it will be upheld by the ECJ. But one biotech civil society member said the ruling, if it stands, could be abused.
Codex Alimentarius Adopts New Food Safety Recommendations
A joint United Nations commission on food safety this week has set several new standards on level of lead, arsenic and drugs appearing in food.
With 51 Ratifications, Nagoya Protocol To Enter Into Force In October
The Nagoya Protocol on access and benefit-sharing of genetic resources will enter into force on 12 October, following the ratification of 12 more countries last week.
360 Applicants Bid For Top WIPO Posts; Selection Process Underway
The World Intellectual Property Organization is currently engaged in an unprecedented process for the selection of the new top management team to serve under recently re-elected Director General Francis Gurry. The open call for applicants resulted in some 360 applications from around the world, including from the upper echelons of WIPO itself, according to sources.
Seed Treaty Celebrates Ten Year Anniversary; Focus On Funding, Collaborations
The International Seed Treaty held a celebratory high-level event recently to mark the tenth anniversary of its entry into force.
WIPO Meeting On TK Protection Ends With No Agreement, Draft Texts Heading To Assembly
The last World Intellectual Property Organization meeting before the annual General Assembly in September ended today, meeting the same fate as many others this year. The committee addressing the protection of genetic resources and traditional knowledge could not agree on recommendations to be transmitted to the Assembly, leaving it to the full membership in September.
Indigenous Peoples: WIPO Should Reflect Changing World Order
The World Intellectual Property Organization committee on genetic resources and traditional knowledge routinely holds an indigenous panel during the first day of its meeting. This week, several of the panellists called for delegates working on potential treaties to consider the particular status of indigenous peoples.
IPW Subscriber Update: New Draft Text On Future Work Of WIPO TK Committee
A new draft text on future work was issued this morning by a facilitator to the discussions of the World Intellectual Property Organization committee seeking to protect genetic resources and traditional knowledge.