First on paper, second in time: The hidden frustrations of the priority “blind spot”

Trademark rights are territorial, and one of the rare times these separate territories shake hands is through the historic Paris Convention, which gives rise (to convention countries) to a powerful global safety net known as a priority claim. This mechanism gives trademark proprietors a strict six-month window within which to file a trademark application in […]

Singapore: IPOS launches free deferment of patent prosecution as pilot initiative

In response to the growing interests of applicants in having more time to decide how best to prosecute their Singapore patent applications in alignment with their global patenting strategies and IP commercialization developments, the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) has launched a pilot initiative to allow eligible applicants to defer the filings of request […]

India- Withdrawn Patent Application Cannot Be Used as Prior Art

In a recent judgement, the Madras High Court set aside an order issued by the Controller of Patents (the “Respondent”) against Dr. Vandana Parvez and others (the “Appellant”) refusing the latter’s Patent Application. Background: The Respondent refused the patent application numbered 202041010232 (hereinafter referred to as “IN’232”) as being anticipated by a patent application numbered […]

Singapore: Patents Formalities Manual updates

The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (‘IPOS’) recently issued a circular announcing various updates to the Patents Formalities Manual (‘Manual’) pertaining to practices and processes. New programmes that have been recently introduced in patents have also been incorporated herein. WIPO Standard ST.26 for sequence listing In IPOS Digital Hub Practice Direction No. 2 of 2023 […]