Category Technical Cooperation/ Technology Transfer

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."

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.

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.

WHO, IFRC Tap Swiss Federal Funds For New Buildings

The World Health Organization and International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent have received approval of the Swiss Federal Council to receive millions of Swiss francs in loans for the purpose of planning new buildings in Geneva.

DNDi Director: ‘Reality Check’ Needed For Neglected Diseases

Research and development into neglected diseases - those predominately affecting poorer populations and for which there is little commercial incentive - is undergoing "remarkable advances and rude set-backs," says Bernard Pécoul, executive director of the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi). Now, governments need to show stronger leadership in bringing about long-term solutions, he said.

Alert: Pharma IPR 2014 Conference In Mumbai, 26-28 February

Dear Subscribers,

CPhI's 3rd Annual Pharma IPR 2014 conference to take place from 26-28 February, 2014 in Mumbai, India will have techno-legal experts from over 10+ regions speaking on the recent case studies on global Pharma and Biopharma patent laws.

Among them, Jeffery Alan Hovden, Partner, Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi LLP from US will be speaking on critical developments in US pharma patent law in the year 2013 which have affected pharma and biopharma industry. He will also share best strategies on how Indian generic-drug and biologics enterprises need to go forward with their US-related projects.

Some of the critical concerns he is planning to address include:

  • Which pharmaceutical and diagnostic compounds and processes can even obtain a US patent?
  • Whether the new, cheap and fast patent-challenge procedures are right for Indian companies in the life-sciences area?
  • How to avoid paying the attorney fees for the other side in US litigation and indeed, how an Indian company might turn the tables and have the other side pay the company’s attorney fees?

You can view his insights on "US Patent Law in 2013: Winds of Change" by clicking here.

To optimise interactions with the audience, he and other global techno-legal experts would also be available in query handling sessions as well as one-on-one meetings, to discuss your concerns related to the US patent system. Click here to go through the detailed programme agenda.

You can read more about the conference speakers here.
To be a part of this exclusive event, please contact the organisers at +91 (22) 6172 7001 / conferences-india@ubm.com, or register online and take advantage of the special offers for you as you are our subscribers.

P.S. You may find one of his earlier presentations on “From Small to Big: Some useful points in the coming shift from customary drugs to biologics” interesting - View the presentation here

WIPO Genetic Resources Text Compiles Differences, Heads To General Assembly

Despite spending a week in mostly closed, informal discussions, the World Intellectual Property Organization committee working on the protection of genetic resources, got little closer to breaching the opposing viewpoints. Members managed to produce a draft text - with signs of steps toward a middle ground - that they say can serve as a basis for further discussion on the development of an international instrument preventing wrongful patents.