Category Biodiversity/Genetic Resources/Biotech

Promotion: Upcoming Courses And Events Provide Insights Into IP

Informa has announced a range of upcoming events and courses on the essential aspects of intellectual property and technology of interest to Intellectual Property Watch readers. Here is the list:

Events:

IP Dispute Resolution - 28 - 29 June 2012, Grange City Hotel, London, UK

European Trademarks 2012 – 3rd July 2012, Grange City Hotel, London, UK

Protecting Corporate Information – 5th July 2012, One Drummond Gate, London, UK

IT Law Summer School 2012 – 30 July - 3 August 2012, Downing College, Cambridge, UK

IP Summer School - 13 - 17 August 2012, Downing College, Cambridge, UK

Distance Learning Courses:

Computer and Communications Law LLM, PgDip - from Queen Mary, University of London

UK, EU & US Copyright Law LLM, PgDip - from King's College London

Intellectual Property Watch
June 11, 2012

EU Parliament Advises No Patent On Conventional Breeding

The European Parliament has adopted a resolution on the patenting of essential biological processes.

World Health Assembly: Member States Call For Acceleration On Pandemic Flu Preparedness

One year since the adoption of the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework, member states emphasised the importance of bio-sharing initiative and in some in cases raised concerns about the pace of implementation.

Group Looks At Effects Of America Invents Act On Plant Breeders

CIOPORA, an international association of plant breeders, held its annual meeting recently with a focus on novelties in plant patents introduced by the America Invents Act, to become effective on 16 March 2013.

Catherine Saez
May 24, 2012

US Licensing Experts: Innovation Is Still Happening, Let’s Help It Along

BOSTON - Early stage innovation is still strong in the United States, but parties need to work better together and address bottlenecks in the middle stages, a panel of university and private sector experts said this week. Meanwhile, the president of global biotechnology company Genzyme said the industry is not in crisis and the company is hopeful about its recent merger with Sanofi.

William New
May 18, 2012

South Africa Hopes New Bill Brings Traditional Knowledge Protection

The Intellectual Property Laws Amendment Bill currently in the in-tray of South African President Jacob Zuma and awaiting a signature, holds the hope that it will finally pave the way for the protection of the country's most famous red tea, Rooibos, as well as other local staples.

Agreement On Future Work For Development Committee Snatched From Defeat At WIPO

In what could be compared to an obstacle course, World Intellectual Property Organization members agreed late at night yesterday on the future work of a committee working on the development dimension of the organisation's activities.

Frustrations Show At Slow Progress On Protection Of Traditional Knowledge at WIPO

At the close of a WIPO meeting to advance a text to become a potential treaty to protect traditional knowledge, some countries found that the results of the session were somewhat disappointing, although some progress had been achieved.

Catherine Saez
April 21, 2012
3 Comments

Divergences Clarified On Protection Of Traditional Knowledge At WIPO

From the outset of a World Intellectual Property Organization meeting to advance a potential treaty text on the protection of traditional knowledge, discussions on draft articles of the possible treaty confirmed divergence of views, notably between developed and developing countries.

Catherine Saez
April 18, 2012
2 Comments

Medicines Patent Pool Director Ellen ‘t Hoen To Leave Next Month

Executive Director Ellen 't Hoen is departing the Medicines Patent Pool, the cutting edge UN spin-off project that works to lower prices on and stimulate new development of HIV medicines and other products through negotiating voluntary licence agreements. According to a release, 't Hoen has fulfilled the mission of guiding the organisation from a startup onto "firm footing" and has informed the Board that she will leave on 1 May.

William New
April 16, 2012
2 Comments

Negotiators Aim For Progress On Traditional Knowledge Protection Treaty

Country delegates will try to make progress on a treaty text to protect traditional knowledge from misappropriation at the World Intellectual Property Organization next week. The hope of many is to bring it far enough for the annual members’ meeting in October to schedule a high-level treaty negotiation next year.

Catherine Saez
April 14, 2012
1 Comment

US Supreme Court Edges Toward Reviewing Extent Of GMO Patents

It’s unclear if the US Supreme Court wants to address yet another controversial issue in patent law, but on 2 April, the court took a small step in that direction. That’s when the court formally asked the US Justice Department to opine on whether the high court should grant certiorari in Bowman v. Monsanto Co.

Steven Seidenberg
April 13, 2012