PATENT
Expedition for clearance of patent applications at Chennai Patent Office
In a technical session on ‘Patenting System in India’ organized by Yadava College in Chennai to create public awareness, Ms S. Punithvathi, Assistant Controller of Patents and Designs stated that the Chennai Patent Office will be clearing about 7,000 patent applications during 2008. The Chennai office is currently clearing about 600 cases per month. More examiners would be recruited to scrutinize the applications for patents. E-filing has been made possible and nearly 100 applications have been received through this mode. The country is all set to become a recognized International Searching Authority (ISA).

Ranbaxy receives authorization for marketing “Amlodipine” in Japan
The Ministry of Health and Labour Welfare of Japan has authorized Ranbaxy Laboratories for marketing the generic version of “Amlodipine” tablets of 2.5mg and 5mg. In a press release, Ranbaxy stated that “Amlodipine” is the first independent product to receive an approval by a company in Japan and also has the distinction of being the first product developed by any foreign generic pharmaceutical company outside Japan and subsequently being granted approval by the Japanese Government. The release also added that the drug has a net market value of around $2 billion and is the largest molecule that has gone off patent in Japan and represents the biggest generic opportunity so far in the Japanese generic market.

15,262 patent grants by the Indian Patent Office in 2007-2008
A record number of 15,262 patents have been granted by The Indian Patent Office during the year 2007-08. According to an official release, this is more than double the number of patents granted (7,539) during the previous year and almost eight times the number of patents granted just three years ago in 2004-05 (1,911). In 2007-2008 more than 35,000 patent applications have been filed. The release added that the remarkable increase in the number of patents granted is an outcome of modernization throughout the IPR offices across the country.

GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION
31 regional products get GI protection in 2007-08
31 regional products, ranging from categories such as textiles, handicrafts, agricultural produce, horticulture and painting under Geographical Indications (GI), have been registered and given GI protection in 2007-2008, which is more than the total number of GIs registered during all the previous years since the registration process commenced in India. The total number of GI products registered in the country now stands at 61, said an official release.

GIs registered during 2007-08 include Muga Silk from Assam, Madhubani paintings from Bihar, Alleppey Coir, Malabar pepper and Alleppey Green Cardamom from Kerala, Salem and Arani Silks and Kovai Cora Cotton from Tamil Nadu, Allahabad Surkha from Uttar Pradesh, Nakshi Kantha from West Bengal, Silver Filigree from Andhra Pradesh, and Monsooned Malabar Coffees from Karnataka and Kerala.

During 2007-08, the Geographical Indications Registry received 37 applications which include Bagh Prints of Dhar from Madhya Pradesh, Banaras Brocades and Sarees and Lucknow Chikan Craft from Uttar Pradesh, Kutch embroidery from Gujarat, Naga Mircha from Nagaland, Fazli Mango from West Bengal, Pipli Applique Work from Orissa, Goan Cashew Feni from Goa, Assam Tea from Assam, and Nilgiri Tea from Tamil Nadu. These and other applications are under various stages of processing. 

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
A good IP support system needed in India for Biotech sector
According to speakers at a session on IP at the Bangalore Bio 2008, it was stated that the innovation-driven biotechnology industry urgently requires a good IP support system. The focus of the summit was to take urgent steps to build IP capacity, particularly in biotechnology by providing specialized IP courts, speedy dispensation of disputes; a proper documentation system; and judges and police officials sensitized towards IP issues. Only 10 percent of the patents granted in biotechnology have turned out to be blockbusters worldwide. Indian companies now realize the need to profit from IPRs and their growth potential is high.

India on Priority Watch List of US
The Special 301 Report of the Office of United States Trade Representative (USTR) on adequacy and effectiveness of Intellectual Property Rights by its trading partners urges India to improve its IPR strategy for protection in the field of copyrights, patents, and trademarks of the country’s producers. In other words, India and other countries like China, Russia, Argentina, Chile, Israel, Pakistan, Thailand and Venezuela that are in the list will have to undergo extra scrutiny and in case any complaints comes before the World Trade Organizations, economic sanctions could be imposed on India and the other countries. It is noteworthy to mention that last year too, the US administration had put India on its watch list under "section 301" and threatened to impose trade sanctions for violating IPR.

Survey on IPR Enforcement in Third Countries to be conducted by the EU
An Enforcement Survey will be conducted by the European Union Commission, to monitor the enforcement of intellectual property (IP) rights in third countries as evaluated since the last survey released in 2006. The External Trade has prepared a questionnaire which is destined in particular to IP holders (including companies, associations, chambers of commerce, etc.) suffering from infringements of their rights in countries outside the European Union. After the result of the survey is prepared, the Commission will plan future actions with regard to target countries where IP enforcement remains an issue.

Leaders of Wireless Industry committed for LTE Technology IPR Licensing
Leaders of wireless industry i.e. Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, NEC, NextWave Wireless, Nokia, Nokia Siemens Networks and Sony Ericsson recently committed to outline a possible cause of action for establishing predictable and more transparent maximum aggregate costs for licensing Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) that relate to 3GPP Long Term Evolution and Service Architecture Evolution standards (LTE/SAE). All interested parties were requested to join the event which could lead to an early adoption of mobile broadband technology across the communications and consumer electronic industries.

In accordance with the prevalent industry principle of Fair, Reasonable and Non-Discriminatory (FRAND) licensing terms for essential patents, the companies agreed to a reasonable maximum aggregate royalty level for relevant product category. Specifically, the companies supported a single-digit dollar amount as the maximum aggregate royalty level, for notebooks, with embedded LTE capabilities.
Since the Companies have launched R&D efforts and trials for LTE technology, it is hoped that this initiative will help for a wide adoption of this technology on devices and applications, enabling a wireless lifestyle for consumers and enterprises and creating value for technology providers.

Special Drive on IPR conducted by China
The State Intellectual Property Office, Beijing, stated on 17th April that more than three million trademarks have been registered during 2007 in China which is a result of a special drive to protect Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). Around 694,000 patent applications were received by the office from China and abroad which amounts to an increase of 21 percent from the previous year. According to spokesman Yin Xintian, US filed the largest number of applications, followed by Japan, Germany, France, North Korea, Britain and China itself. Among these, an aggregate of 5,401 applications were filed by China, with an increase of 41.2 percent from the previous year. He further said that patent applications in China had reached four million by the end of last year.