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 […]
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE PATENT AND INDUSTRIAL DESIGN SYSTEMS IN CAMBODIA
On April 29, 2024, the Department of Industrial Property (DIP) in Cambodia launched and made the official patent and industrial design databases available to the public. To-date, there are 1486 entries in the patent database with the earliest record having a filing date of 30 August 2006 and the latest 20 November 2023. Approximately 400 […]
India- Permissibility of claim amendments in the context of methods of agriculture or horticulture
The Delhi High Court recently set aside an order issued by the Assistant Controller of Patents (the “Respondent”) against Mitsui Chemicals Inc (the “Appellant”) refusing their Patent Application. Background: The Respondent refused the Patent Application No. 3877/DELNP/2009 citing non-patentability under Section 3(h) of the Patents Act, 1970 (as amended) (the “Act”) (which stipulates that inventions […]
The Patents (Amendment) Rules, 2024: key highlights
In a significant move to streamline the Indian patent practice and procedures, the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry, which administers Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, notified, and published the Patents (Amendment) Rules, 2024 (“Patent Amendment Rules”) in the Official Gazette of India on 15 March 2024. These amended rules are effective from 15 […]
Update to Cambodia’s patent renewals system
Cambodia’s Department of Industrial Property (DIP) of the Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation (MISTI, formerly known as Ministry of Industry and Handicraft – MIH) recently announced changes to the country’s patent renewals system, set to take effect on Wednesday, August 14, 2024. The changes to the patent renewals system entail patent proprietors to […]
Update to Cambodia’s Patent Renewals System and a Compendium of Developments to date
Cambodia’s Department of Industrial Property (DIP) of the Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation (MISTI, formerly known as Ministry of Industry and Handicraft – MIH) recently announced changes to the country’s patent renewals system, set to take effect on Wednesday, 14 August 2024. The changes to the patent renewals system entail patent proprietors to […]
India- What constitutes ‘therapeutic efficacy’ when determining patentability of ‘new forms of known substances’
The Delhi High Court recently rendered a significant decision clarifying the concept of enhanced therapeutic efficacy, when determining the patentability of new forms of known substances. The case involved an appeal by the patent applicant challenging the rejection of their patent application under Section 3(d) of the Patents Act, 1970 (as amended) (the ‘Act’). Section […]
ASEAN - Launch of Official Intellectual Property Register
On 20th August 2023, ASEAN, having collaborated with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), officially launched the ASEAN Intellectual Property Register (“ASEAN IP Register”). This ASEAN IP Register is intended to act as a consolidated one-stop information portal that allows IP professionals and interested parties to conduct trademark, patent, and design searches from all 10 […]
IPOS Extended Anew Its Patent Acceleration Initiative under ASPEC AIM Programme
The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) has recently further extended its patent acceleration program, the ASPEC Acceleration for Industry 4.0 Infrastructure and Manufacturing Pilot (ASPEC AIM) Programme until 26 August 2025. This extension allows patent applicants in the ASEAN region to continue benefiting from an accelerated examination procedure for their Industry 4.0 inventions. ASPEC […]
India- Pathbreaking ruling by the High Court- Patentability of an invention relation to foetal genomic analysis from a maternal biological sample
In a recent decision of the High Court of Madras, in the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Sequenom, Inc. (“Appellants”) v. The Assistant Controller of Patents and Designs (“Respondent”), CMA (PT) No.14 of 2023, the Court had the opportunity to delve into the nuances of Section 3(i) of the Indian Patents Act, 1970 (as amended) (the […]