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 […]
Publications
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 […]
Clarity in scope of remedies in claim of breach of confidence: Amber Compounding Pharmacy Pte Ltd and another v. Lim Suk Ling Priscilla and others
This Singapore High Court decision arose from the preliminary determination of an issue in law – specifically, whether the plaintiffs were entitled to simultaneously claim for both wrongful gain interest and wrongful loss interest. The defendants previously admitted to unauthorized copying and access, and breach of confidence in respect of the plaintiffs’ confidential information. In relation to […]
Vietnam – Changes to Trademark Law and IP Enforcement
Vietnam Decree No. 65/2023/ND-CP (Decree 65) took effect on 23 August 2023. Decree 65 represents the latest state of IP rights establishment and enforcement in Vietnam. Decree 65 provides guidance on the implementation of the Intellectual Property Law 2022 (the IP Law), particularly in the realms of IP registration and enforcement. In brief, Decree 65 […]
India- Salient features of the Proposed Patents (Amendment) Rules, 2023
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade) has proposed amendments to the Patents Rules, 2003 (the ‘Rules’). A summary of some of the major proposed amendments, is set out below: 1. Reduction in timeline for filing a request for examination: A proposal has been made to shorten the […]
India- Novel hardware is not a pre-requisite for the patentability computer-related inventions
In recent years, the Delhi High Court has issued several significant decisions in which it has adopted a positive interpretation of the law. One of the said decisions entails the Court’s recent interpretation of Section 3(k) of the Patents Act, 1970 (as amended) (the ‘Act’). The Court in Raytheon Company (the ‘Appellant’) v. Controller General […]
Law relating to Divisional Patent Applications in India to be revisited
In an important development, the Delhi High Court in Syngenta Limited v. The Controller General of Patents, has placed the following issues before the Honourable Chief Justice, for consideration by an appropriate Division Bench of the Court: (a) Does the requirement of a plurality of inventions being contained in the parent application, in order for […]
Dr. Who Water Works Pte Ltd and others v Dr. Who (M) Sdn Bhd and others
When IP disputes arise, it is important for the disputing parties to honour settlement agreements. Breaching a settlement agreement may bring about liability under IP law frameworks. Dramatis personae This case involved parties in the business of bottling water. Dr. Who Waterworks Pte Ltd (the first claimant), a Singapore-incorporated company, was run by a Mr. […]
SINGAPORE: New Disclosure Framework Aims to Help Companies Improve Transparency Around Intangible Assets
The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore and the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority have jointly launched the Intangibles Disclosure Framework (Framework), which provides guidelines to companies for identifying and disclosing various non-physical assets or intangibles, including intellectual property (IP) rights, to various stakeholders. Strategy—helps companies share and communicate how intangibles are relevant to, and used […]
CAMBODIA: New Amendments to Trademark Laws Address Single-Use Applications and Affidavits for Use/Non-Use
The Department of Intellectual Property Rights in Cambodia has updated the country’s trademark law, especially concerning filing and maintenance. It issued two notices—one on August 1, 2023, the other 10 days later on August 11—that dealt with single multi-class applications and affidavits of use/non-use, respectively. The First Notice (No. 2501/R/DIP) The First Notice mandates that […]