Original news and analysis on international IP policy
By Kaitlin Mara Some intellectual property rights holders and their representative governments are looking with concern at the drive to hold discussions on draft modalities for IP issues in this week’s World Trade Organization mini-ministerial. Letters sent early this week…
By Liza Porteus Viana for Intellectual Property Watch
When Biotechnology Industry Organization CEO Jim Greenwood meets with members of the United States Congress to talk to them about follow-on biologics, he brings a graphic model of an aspirin and a DVD showing the complex molecules of a biologic drug. He uses these visuals to help explain the differences between traditional chemical drugs and newer, cutting-edge biological ones being used in many breakthrough therapies for cancer, multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS, and other diseases.
The differences between traditional chemical drugs and biological ones is the crux of the debate going on in the United States as Congress and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) try to create a regulatory pathway that gives consumers greater access to cheaper, generic biological drugs, but still spurs innovation and protects innovator patent claims.
"When the legislation was introduced at the beginning of this Congress, most pundits expected that we'd oppose it," said Greenwood, a former House representative from Pennsylvania, told Intellectual Property Watch. "But that was a mistake the pharmaceutical industry made in the '80s - trying to resist the notion you could safely make generics …our view at BIO is that we need to follow the science, and science says you can make follow-on biologics that can be safe and can save the consumer money and therefore we support it."
Por Kaitlin Mara Una iniciativa intergubernamental de carácter excepcional para la financiación de medicamentos en las regiones pobres y mal abastecidas tomó una decisión histórica la semana pasada: adoptar un acuerdo sobre el interés de compartir los derechos de propiedad…
Par Kaitlin Mara UNITAID, une initiative intergouvernementale de financement des médicaments dans les régions pauvres et mal desservie, a pris une décision la semaine dernière une décision qui fera date en reconnaissant l’utilité de partager les droits de propriété intellectuelle…
Par Dugie Standeford pour Intellectual Property Watch MANCHESTER, UK – Le système de propriété intellectuelle vise davantage à «fermer l’accès à la connaissance» qu’à permettre sa diffusion, a indiqué le Professeur Joseph Stiglitz lors d’une conférence intitulée “Who Owns Science?”…
By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Despite issues like the current food, energy and climate crises having taken centre stage at this week’s Group of 8 summit in Japan, governments did not lose sight of earlier plans to promote…
By Kaitlin Mara A “landmark” decision was made last week by a unique intergovernmental initiative for drug financing in poor and underserved areas: an agreement on the usefulness of sharing intellectual property rights to lower costs and increase quality of…
By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch MANCHESTER, UK – The basic framework of the intellectual property (IP) regime aims to “close down access to knowledge” rather than allowing its dissemination, Professor Joseph Stiglitz said at a 5 July lecture…
By Tatum Anderson for Intellectual Property Watch Indian generic manufacturers may be allowed to export a cheaper HIV/AIDS treatment to middle-income countries if US pharmaceutical company Gilead fails to win a patent for the drug in India. And a turnaround…
Wagdy Sawahel pour Intellectual Property Watch Les réactions de la communauté scientifique égyptienne sont mitigées à la suite de l’autorisation par l’Égypte de cultiver et de commercialiser une variété de maïs résistante aux organismes nuisibles. Cette annonce marque la première…