Latest News & Features
Americas
A recent decision in Canada means defendants in patent infringement cases can raise the non-infringing alternative defence in response to damages claims. Mark Biernacki and Cameron Weir of Smart & Biggar/Fetherstonhaugh considers its potential impact on litigation between drugs companies. 20 August 2015
article
US Congress must exempt biopharmaceutical patents from PTAB review to ensure continued medical innovation, argues Peter Pitts of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest. 13 August 2015
Europe
Proactively managing patent portfolios is an investment that pays for itself in reduced patent costs. Bruno Reynolds, who works at the consultancy arm of Isis Innovation, the technology transfer company of the University of Oxford, explains more. 6 August 2015
Americas
On July 21 the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled in Amgen v Sandoz that biosimilar applicants can opt out of the ‘patent dance’. Courtenay Brinckerhoff of Foley & Lardner considers the decision’s implications for the biosimilars framework and highlights the questions that remain unanswered. 30 July 2015
Americas
Biopharma parties thinking about challenging a patent via an inter partes review should be aware that there are significant differences between district court and IPR practice, as Tasha Francis and Dorothy Whelan of Fish & Richardson explain. 23 July 2015
Big Pharma
Despite its troubled start, Brazil’s Product Development Partnerships programme is now entering a new stage of its development with the introduction of a more complete system for regulation, but there’s also more scope for patent infringement, say Otto Licks and Ricardo Campello of Licks Attorneys. 16 July 2015
Europe
Twenty-five years ago Tuerk and Gold reported the Selex method. Richard Clegg of Mewburn Ellis discusses some of the challenges at the EPO today when attempting to obtain adequate class-level protection for functionally defined molecules. 9 July 2015
Asia
India’s progressive IP policies—and its status as ‘pharmacy of the developing world’ and lifeline for millions of people—are now under threat from many fronts. Yuanqiong Hu, IP advisor for Médecins Sans Frontières’s Access Campaign, explains more. 9 July 2015
Biotechnology
The Brazilian government has passed a new law which will promote the development of products based on the country’s rich biodiversity. Gabriel Di Blasi of Di Blasi, Parente & Associados discusses the implications for companies, researchers and traditional knowledge holders. 2 July 2015
Americas
The judiciary system for the new Unified Patent Court has been the subject of much discussion. As part of a regular column, Paul England, senior associate at law firm Taylor Wessing and who chaired a recent discussion between a panel of experts, examines the issue. 25 June 2015