TRADITIONAL KNOWLDEGE DIGITAL LIBRARY (TKDL)

CHINESE BIO-PIRACY ATTEMPT STALLED

India's Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) helped India's efforts to stall a bio-piracy attempt by a Chinese pharmaceutical company, Livzon. In 2007, Livzon had filed for a patent at the EPO (European Patent Office) claiming usefulness of pudina (mint) and kalamegha (Andrographis paniculata) for the treatment of H5N1 avian influenza or bird flu and the patent was granted on February 25, 2010.

Pudina and kalamegha have been commonly used in Indian traditional medicine since ages for influenza and epidemic fevers. This was proved by TKDL, which scrutinized formulations from ancient Ayurveda and Unani texts dating back to the 9th century.

The EPO cancelled the decision to grant patent to the Chinese company on June 10 after receiving substantial proof from CSIR that confirmed India's stand on the medicinal properties of pudina and kalamegha for treating bird flu.

GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION

LAKHNAVI ZARDOZI IN LINE FOR GI TAG?

Researchers from the Textile Committee of India (TCI) are making an effort to get a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for the 'Lakhnavi zardozi'. The word "zardozi" comes from Persian words 'zar' meaning gold and 'dozi' meaning embroidery and this exquisite artwork from Lucknow has its unique style of 'gold-and-silver' embroidery.

The TCI team has submitted a report on the origin of this art, its geographical coverage, the artisans community involved, product identification, process, uniqueness compared with the embroideries across India and the world. The report will be made public after the validation process is completed.

''Ari"- a hooked needle is used for the embroidery on the fabric which is stretched out on a wooden frame. The artisans use gold and silver threads, beads, stones, and creative designs to beautify the fabric and give it a regal look.

GENERAL IPR

FORCE INDIA SUES LOTUS F1 FOR IP VIOLATION

The formula one team - Force India has launched legal proceedings against the Lotus team, Mike Gascoyne and Italian windtunnel operators Aerolab claiming intellectual property violation.

Force India alleges that the design of their original 2009-spec VJM02 car and Lotus' T127 chassis windtunnel model were similar and has initiated civil proceedings in the UK and Italy against Lotus, claiming the team has taken undue advantage from the use of its intellectual property when designing and building its inaugural F1 chassis.

Force India allege that Lotus Racing, via Aerolab and Fondtech facilities and data, has benefited from the use of Force India F1 Team's IP, including components and tyres licensed exclusively by Bridgestone to the Force India F1 Team, on its wind tunnel model design for the current Lotus T127 chassis without permission from the Force India F1 Team. Force India had paid around one million Euros in 2009 to secure the payment claimed by Aerolab.

PATENT

ASTRAZENECA WINS CRESTOR PATENT DISPUTE

Efforts by Israeli-owned Teva Pharmaceuticals of North Wales, USA and some generic drug developers to break AstraZeneca Plc's patent on its best-seller anticholesterol drug Crestor were turned down by a federal judge in Delaware. Crestor had sales amounting to $4.5 billion in 2009.

An important patent on AstraZeneca's third best-selling drug was ruled to be valid by the U.S. District Court in Delaware and mentioned that its challenger - Apotex could be held liable for patent infringement.

The patent is set to expire in 2016 and this court ruling would stop the U.S. Food and Drug Administration from approving generic versions of Crestor. The other companies involved in the united lawsuit include Mylan Inc., Par Pharmaceutical, and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.

GE AND RAMBUS SIGN LICENSE AGREEMENT FOR LED TECHNOLOGY

General Electric Co.'s GE Lighting group and Rambus Inc., a technology licensing company have signed a deal for licensing light emitting diode (LED) technology from Rambus Inc. GE would be using Rambus' patented lighting innovations, including its product reference designs and manufacturing procedure expertise.

GE intends to manufacture and sell flat-panel energy-efficient LED lighting systems worldwide. Both the companies together would generate sophisticated LED-based lighting products with distinct features like low-cost and excellent light quality.

Rambus's lighting and display technology business initiated in 2009 and the company acquired patents and technology including LED edge-lit optical designs, MicroLens light distribution features, and high-volume, low-cost light guide panel and multi-function film manufacturing technologies from Global Lighting Technologies (GLT).

NANOTECHNOLOGY MANUFACTURING PROCESS PATENT FOR ALTAIR NANOTECHNOLOGIES

The USPTO has granted Altair Nanotechnologies, Inc. a patent for the method of producing mixed metal oxides and metal oxide compounds. The unique nanotechnology manufacturing process for battery anodes and cathodes in lithium-ion batteries is protected by this patent.

This patent will ensure that competitors can no longer exploit the proprietary manufacturing process covered under the patent to accomplish the exclusive performance characteristics of Altair's battery materials, which function by rapid charging and discharging at wider operating temperature range.

Headquartered in Reno, Nevada in the United States, Altair Nanotechnologies Inc. is a provider of energy storage systems for clean, efficient power and energy management. The company is now engaged in the development of cathode materials to enhance battery performance at lower costs.

TRADEMARK

REDIFF.COM INDIA WINS CYBER SQUATTING CASE

Rediff.com India Ltd, the online service provider has won a cyber squatting dispute against a Pakistani national, Daniyal Waseem, who was using an identical domain name 'rediffpk.com' and unlawfully using the rediff.com trademark. Cyber squatting is illegal registering or using a domain name with intentions to profit from the reputation of an established trademark.

According to the Mumbai-based Internet portal service provider 'rediffpk.com' was identical and confusingly similar to its 'Rediff' trademark. The firm had approached the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to stop the Pakistani national from using the trademark. The WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Centre has found that this person did not have the rights to the domain name and has ordered that the domain be transferred to Rediff.