News

A recent decision of the UKIPO Hearing Office (see here) has added to the growing body of case law concerning which products are, and which are not, entitled to a Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC). Those familiar with the pharmaceutical sector will be aware that SPCs provide an extension to the lifetime of patent monopolies for […]

The Intellectual Property Bill received royal assent on 15 May 2014, and will come into force as the Intellectual Property Act 2014. Many of the new measures are expected to take effect in October 2014, with the remainder entering into force by the end of 2015. Designs are a key focus for the new legislation. […]

The UK has a reputation for litigation to be extremely expensive, lengthy and complicated.  As a result, many companies have chosen to litigate their patents in Germany, where it is perceived that litigation is cheaper and quicker.  This article aims to demonstrate that patent litigation in the UK can be just as inexpensive as it […]

On 1 November 2013, the High Court of England and Wales issued its decision in the case of JW Spear & Sons Ltd & Mattel. Inc. v Zynga, Inc [2013] EWHC 3348 (Ch). The High Court decided that Zynga’s online game, SCRAMBLE WITH FRIENDS, does not infringe Mattel’s rights in its famous SCRABBLE mark, except […]

This case concerned Apotex’s generic version of Sanofi-Aventis’ leflunomide drug, ARAVA®. Sanofi-Aventis obtained a patent which claims: “A method of preventing or treating a skin disorder, wherein the skin disorder is psoriasis, which comprises administering to a recipient an effective amount of [leflunomide]”. Leflunomide is used in Australia to treat psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, […]

In the recent case of IPCom GmbH & Co Ltd v HTC Europe Ltd and others [2013] EWCA Civ 1496, the Court of Appeal upheld a decision to refuse a request to stay proceedings in light of pending opposition proceedings before the EPO. The length of time typical opposition proceedings may remain pending was thought […]