Celebrating 20 Years of IP Excellence

This image depicts Tablets and Capsules of various colors. This image is relevant as the topic is about Final Guidelines for Examination of Pharmaceuticals Published. Click on the image for more information

Pharma Patent Search – A Challenging Task

This post was first published on 15th March 2011. It is beyond contention that prior art search is an absolutely critical step in acquiring a patent, irrespective of the technology domain the invention relates to. Although considerable amount of time and effort needs to be spent for conducting a comprehensive patent search or any invention, in case of inventions pertaining to the pharmaceutical technology, the time and efforts triplicate. Here is why. The technology space in the pharmaceutical sector is extremely crowded…

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The featured image shows a stick figure standing on two diverging arrows. While the arrow on the left reads trade secrets, the arrow on the right reads patents. To know more about this post click here.

A Pharmaceutical Perspective by Ms. Vinita Radhakrishnan

This talk on Trade Secrets and Patents was delivered by Ms. Vinita Radhakrishnan at the IIPLA 5th IP Conference held at the Carlton Palace Hotel, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). You may view the full presentation below. Topics Covered in the presentation include: 1. The shift from traditional medicine to modern medicine 2. Making a choice between patents and trade secrets 3. Pros and Cons of Trade Secrets and Patents 4. IP Protection Models 5. Invention based IP strategy 6. Industry based IP strategy 7. Industry Trends 8. Top…

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Musli

Indian Herbal Viagra Receives Patent Grant

First Publication Date: 5th October 2010. Kunnath Pharmaceuticals, Kerala recently received a patent for their product, Musli Power Xtra, an Indian herbal aphrodisiac for men and women. Musli Power Xtra popularly known as the ‘Indian Herbal Viagra’ is  reportedly India’s first ayurvedic herbal formulation to receive a patent for the treatment of sexual dysfunction. The herbs and ingredients which form part of the formulation includes the following: Chlorophylum borivillianum (Safed Musli), Mucuna purita, Withania somnifera, Moringa oleifera, Embilica officinalis, Tribulus…

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The featured image shows a person holding some white pills in his fist, which is half open. The post is about recent guidelines issued by the UNDP regarding examination of Pharma Patents. To know more, please click here.

UNDP Issues Guidelines For Pharmaceutical Patent Examination

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has recently published guidelines for examination of patent applications relating to pharmaceuticals.The guidelines have highlighted the need for examining pharmaceutical patents from the perspective of public health.The guidelines set by Prof. Carlos M Correa strongly recommend nations to set out specific and more stringent standards for pharmaceutical patents. The guidelines also encourage patent offices to exploit the flexibilities allowed by the TRIPS Agreement with regard to the aforementioned guidelines. In his foreword, Mandeep Dhaliwal,…

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This image depicts a person holding a placard reading GILEAD 1,000 per Pill, Shame. This image is relevant as Gilead had filed for a patent for the same medicine in India for the same price. Click on the image for more information

‘Killead’s Patent Application Killed by the Indian Patent Office!

Gilead Sciences was rejected patent for its blockbuster drug Sofosbuvir, a new Hepatitis C drug by the India Patent Office in a major decision taken on 13 January 2015. The drug is branded under the name Sovaldi. Gilead had priced the drug at US$84,000 for a treatment course, or $1,000 per pill in the US and had received a regulatory approval in US in 2013. The patent application (6087/DELNP/2005) for the drug was opposed by the Indian generic company Natco; Medicines,…

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The image depicts some tablets inside a glass. This image is relevant as Drug Humria was not granted Patent in India. Click on the image for more information

Drug Humira turns Rheumatic for Abbott Biotechnology

The Indian Patent Office on December 31, 2014 set aside its order of granting a Patent to Abbott Biotechnology for its drug, Humira, in light of pre-grant opposition filed by Glenmark Pharmaceuticals. In November, 2003, Abbott had filed a patent application No. 526/DELNP/2005 for its drug named Humira, a formulation of human antibodies for treating Rheumatoid Arthritis. Glenmark filed a pre-grant opposition to this application in September, 2008. Since this was not brought to the notice of the Controller, Patent…

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