Here is Think IP Strategy’s weekly selection of top Pharma & Biotech intellectual property news breaking in the blogosphere and internet.

 

Highlights this week included:

‘No’ to Monsanto: Indian NGO complains bio-piracy before the EPO over a resistant melon variety (Spicy IP) (IIPRD)

USPTO holds first hearing on “second opinion” genetic testing (Patent Docs) (KEI) (Patent Docs) (Patent Docs) (KEI)

 

Please join the discussion by adding your comments on any of these stories, and please do let us know if you think we’ve missed something important, or if there is a source you think should be monitored.

 

General

U.S. Dept of Commerce asked to review Africa Intellectual Property Forum compliance w/ Executive Order 13155 (KEI)

WIPO members work through differences in genetic resources document (IP Watch) (KEI)

IGC20: Statement by the Holy See on patenting of life forms (KEI)

WHO keeps lid on Bird Flu lab results (IP Watch)

Castle Biosciences acquires exclusive worldwide license to IP covering a gene expression profiling test for thymoma (Patent Docs)

Australia: Hearing to begin in controversial gene patent case (Inspire! Blog) (Patentology)

Canada: Report says Canada – EU trade deal could cost Ontario $1.2 billion per year from higher pharma costs (Michael Geist)

East Asia: SPCs and PTEs in East Asia (The SPC Blog)

EU: ‘NO’ to Monsanto: Indian NGO complains bio-piracy before the EPO over a resistant melon variety (Spicy IP) (IIPRD)

India: No patent for Bristol’s infant formula at the IPO: 4807/CHENP/2006 “Therapeutically effective amount of Bb-12 and LGG in the preparation of a medicament for preventing or treating respiratory infections and acute otitis media in infants” (Spicy IP)

Italy: Pfizer ordered to pay Euro 10.6 million for abuse of dominant position by the Italian Antitrust Authority (Kluwer Patent Blog)

US: President’s latest budget proposal seeks decrease of data exclusivity period and elimination of pay-for-delay agreements (Patent Docs)

US: FDA wraps up responses to 2003 & 2004 petitions on “biosimilars”; denies outstanding requests (FDA Law Blog)

US: USPTO holds first hearing on “second opinion” genetic testing (Patent Docs) (KEI)

US: Impact of advances in DNA sequencing technology on genetic diagnostic testing (Patent Docs)

US: Patent Docs author testifies at genetic diagnostic testing hearing (Patent Docs)

US: KEI statement at USPTO public hearing on genetic diagnostic testing (KEI)

US: Supreme Court: No move yet on denying human gene patents: AMP v Myriad (Patently-O)

US: Panagene files patent infringement complaint against Bio-Synthesis over its manufacture, use and sale of Peptide Nucleic Acid compounds (Patent Docs)

US: Judge Gajarsa questions the patentability of Celsis multi-cryopreserved hepatocytes (Pharma Patents)

US: Top 5: U.S. Drug Patent Expirations in 2012 (Part II) (Patent Quality Matters)

US: Forbes calculates average drug development cost at $4-$11 billion (Patent Docs)

US: Biotech IP challenges around the world: BIO’s Special 301 submission (BIOtechNOW)

US: What we don’t know, and why, about incentives to stimulate biomedical R&D (KEI)

US: Supply shortages for generics (IPBiz)

 

Products

Benoxacor and (S)-metolachlor – France: Cour de Cassation upholds rejection of SPC for Benoxacor and (S)-metolachlor. (The SPC Blog)

Beyaz (Drospirenone) – US: Merck and Bayer file patent infringement proceedings in Delaware and Nevada against Watson in response to Para IV certification (Patent Docs)

Cervarix / Gardasil / Silgard  – UK: The last word on Queensland? Two SPCs for one patent OK in the UK – decision now available on BAILII (The SPC Blog)

Di-Gesic and Doloxene  – US: Tribunal grants stay of decision to cancel ARTG registrations for prescription pain killers (IP Whiteboard)

Escitalopram – Belgium: Brussels Court of Appeal finds a first instance decision revoking a patent or SPC cannot legally be declared provisionally enforceable: Lundbeck v Ratiopharm (EPLAW)

Esomeprazole – Sweden: District Court of Stockholm rejects AstraZeneca’s application for a search order: AstraZeneca v Krka (EPLAW)

Humira (Adalimumab) – US: Supreme Court denies certiorari to Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Janssen Biotech in Humira case (IPBiz)

Lucentis (Ranibizumab) – UK: EWHC (Pat): Uncertainty remains regarding the appropriate test to use to assess compliance with Article 3(a) of SPC Regulation: MedImmune v Novartis (EPLAW)

Morphine Sulfate – US: Seeking a second bite at the apple? Lannett petitions FDA on the “grandfather” status of Morphine Sulfate (FDA Law Blog)

Plavix (Clopidogrel) – US: Sanofi to receive $270m payment from Apotex over rights to Plavix (IP Solution Blog)

Zymaxid (Gatifloxacin) – US: Senju Pharmaceuticals files patent infringement complaint against Apotex in response to Para IV challenge (Patent Docs)