News

Double patenting at the European Patent Office G4/19

The Enlarged Court of Appeal is currently considering a number of issues surrounding double patenting. Secerna Senior Associate Huw Jenkins looks at what they will be looking at.

PTAB decision highlights the value of a robust IP portfolio

The recent PTAB decision in favor of Arbutus Biopharma highlights the importance of a robust intellectual property portfolio, especially for smaller biotech companies. This case involves Moderna, a leading developer of mRNA vaccines, and their potential infringement of Arbutus' patent on lipid nanoparticle technology, a crucial component of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine. The decision underscores the potential risks for companies that do not have strong IP protection, as it could limit their ability to develop and commercialize innovative products.

Patent Rights in a Pandemic

Liza Wilson in profile

Live Streaming of Enlarged Board of Appeal Proceedings relating to computer-implemented inventions

Live Streaming of Enlarged Board of Appeal Proceedings relating to computer-implemented inventions

Breeding discontent: an update on the patentability of plants in Europe

The recent European Patent Office (EPO) decision impacts plant breeding patent eligibility. Essentially biological processes (traditional breeding) are no longer patentable, while transgenic and gene-edited plants remain eligible. Marker-assisted breeding faces challenges, making plant variety rights (PVRs) more attractive. This shift could influence investment in non-genetically modified plant improvements.

Potential solutions to the COVID-19 testing quandary

AI applications in the fight against COVID-19

We look at innovation in the COVID-19 crisis focusing on this use of AI.

The race for a COVID-19 vaccination: Innovation at unprecedented levels

The emergence of a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, in January 2020 has resulted in the declaration of a global pandemic. Innovations in a wide range of technological fields are being progressed at an unprecedented level in response to the crisis and in certain circumstances by unusual collaborations between usually competing companies and/or research organisations. We have prepared a series of articles detailing some of the technologies being developed to address the COVID-19 crisis and some thoughts on other technologies that may be utilised in the future.