News

Secerna LLP Expands its Life Sciences Team

The Partners of Secerna LLP are pleased to announce that experienced European Patent Attorney Huw Jenkins has joined their office in York.

Protecting Offshore Wind Technology in Taiwan

The drive to expand Taiwan’s renewal energy capability will inevitably lead to innovative advances in this technological sector. As well as being potentially commercially valuable, such advances may well be patentable, and therefore a decision may be taken to pursue patent protection in Taiwan.

Another Referral to the European Court of Justice on SPC Regulation

The UK Court of Appeal has recently referred a question relating to Article 3(a) of the SPC Regulation (469/2009) to the European Court of Justice (the CJEU) in the case of Sandoz Limited v Searle.

Change in UKIPO fees as of 6th April 2018

The Commercial UAV Show, ExCel London - 15 & 16 November 2017

Webmarking of Products Protected by Registered Designs

The UKIPO have announced that from 1 October 2017 UK registered design owners will have a new option to mark their products with a website link instead of a registered design number. The introduction of webmarking brings registered designs in line with a similar change in the law for UK patents which has been in place since 1 October 2014, and a similar approach which has been successful in the United States. This change does not apply to Registered Community Designs.

Corporation Tax Deductions – Taking Advantage of Patent Box

Following the departure of several high-tech companies from the UK, in 2009 the UK Government decided to introduce a tax relief initiative known as Patent Box. The Patent Box regime allows UK companies (including subsidiaries and overseas territories) to take advantage of an effective reduction in the rate of corporation tax to as low as 10% for worldwide income that arises from the exploitation of inventions that benefit from certain IP rights. As of 1 April 2013, companies have been able to elect in to the Patent Box regime.

Reference Numerals Can Affect Claim Construction

In an application to revoke EP(UK)1355604 a key question to be answered was the meaning in the claims of the terms “vent sites” and “bond sites”. Both terms were used interchangeably in the associated patent specification and both terms were given the same reference numeral 100.

Still Painful for Pfizer

The Court of Appeal has handed down its decision in the patent dispute relating to Pfizer’s $5 billion drug Lyrica® and its prescribed use to treat neuropathic pain. In summary, the Court of Appeal upheld the first instance decision, maintaining the finding of insufficiency and non-infringement. A finding that Pfizer was liable for making groundless threats was also upheld. Pfizer has indicated that it will seek leave to appeal to the UK Supreme Court.