Archive news and resources
The ongoing SPC saga - further questions referred to the CJEU
What exactly can be protected by an SPC?Read more
Don't blame the EPO
EPO decision G1/10 has made clear that the onus is on the patent applicant to check the text of their European patent.Read more
Trade mark goods - say what you mean
A new court ruling makes it imperative to file a precise and comprehensive list of goods with a trade mark application.Read more
Neurim judgment opens door to SPCs for new medical uses for known active ingredients
The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has issued its anxiously awaited decision in Neurim Pharmaceuticals, which revolved around whether a new medical use for a known active ingredient can ever warrant...Read more
New polymorph judged unpatentable
The European Patent Office has revoked a patent directed to a new polymorphic form of the drug atorvastatin, on the basis that it lacked the necessary “inventive step”. In doing so, its appeal board made some...Read more
Patent Prosecution Highway continues
The “Patent Prosecution Highway” (PPH) schemes, running between the European Patent Office and its US and Japanese counterparts, have both been extended until 28 January 2014. The schemes are still, in theory, trials...Read more
The Patent Box – Tax relief for UK patentees
Profits made by exploiting patented inventions will benefit from a lower corporation tax from 1 April 2013. The reduced rate will be 10%, and will apply to profits generated worldwide, including for example...Read more
UK Supreme Court gives bioindustry-friendly verdict
It takes time and money to establish that a newly-discovered biomolecule has pharmaceutical activity. Should it be possible to apply for a patent based on the expected – but as yet unproven – uses of the...Read more
More transparency on patent licensing
A patent applicant can now publicise, via the official records, if his PCT (international) patent application is available for licensing. So-called PCT or “international” patent applications cover a huge number of...Read more
SPCs for combination products
Two recent European court decisions have clarified the requirements for supplementary protection certificates (SPCs) for combination products where a medicinal product covered by a marketing authorisation is only...Read more