The Bolar Exemption in the UK

The Bolar Exemption in the UK

Until now, exceptions to patent infringement in the UK were limited, so manufacturers preparing for regulatory approval risked an infringement action. Legislation will come into force in the UK on 1 October 2014 that finally provides broad exemption from patent...
Stem Cell Patenting in Europe

Stem Cell Patenting in Europe

The scope for patenting stem cell-based inventions in Europe was dealt a blow by the judgement of the CJEU in Brüstle vs Greenpeace (C 34/10)1. The practical result of this judgement was that the earliest date from which the EPO would acknowledge that morally...
Entry Into Force of the Nagoya Protocol

Entry Into Force of the Nagoya Protocol

Biopiracy is the evil sibling of bioprospecting. Bioprospecting is the search for existing genetic resources and biological knowledge that can be applied more widely and in novel applications. This is an area of particular interest to the pharmaceutical industry...