intellectual property rights

Some big pharmaceutical companies are up in arms about developing countries importing less expensive generic versions of drugs for which these companies hold a patent monopoly. But the procedure is perfectly legal, even under the World Trade Organization's pro-pharmaceutical-monopoly rules. The only question is whether these huge corporations - who used their political muscle in Washington to prev..

The fate of the famous Ponni variety of rice, nurtured in the fertile banks of Cauvery river across Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, now registered under the Malaysian Trademark Act by Malaysian commodities retail giant Syarikat Faiza, has once again exposed India’s weakness in guarding the IPR of its traditional agricultural produce. Ponni has not been registered for GI in India. Ironically, the tra..

Corporate India is in an innovation mode. And, it’s not IT companies, but manufacturing conglomerates that rule the roost, going by the maximum number of patents filed. That’s not all. A SundayET analysis of the latest intellectual property rights (IPR) data has found that even two PSUs figure in the top 10 companies that filed maximum number of patents during 2006-07 and 2007-08. In fact, th..

The World Customs Organisation (WCO), the intergovernmental body that aims at developing global standards for Customs departments, is planning to recommend stringent norms for enforcing the intellectual property rights of export consignments. However, Indian researchers have expressed concern over the move which goes beyond the minimum standards prescribed under the Trade Related Aspects of Intell..

India's top police officials and information technology experts are meeting in Delhi to discuss ways of countering cyber crime. The one-day "Cyber law and police" seminar has been organised by India's leading crime-fighting agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Information and Technology Minister, Pramod Mahajan told the gathering that computer crime would soon be the biggest ch..

Amarillo Biosciences, Inc. (OTCBB: AMAR), a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on low-dose orally administered interferon as a treatment for a variety of conditions, today announced that a patent has been filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on the oral use of interferon to treat obesity. The company recently conducted a review of clinical data from four studies that it..

Japanese drug-maker Daiichi Sankyo’s acquisition of Ranbaxy, India’s leading pharma company, through a buyout of promoter stake is indeed a momentous event in Indian corporate history. This is not the first time that an Indian promoter has sold out. But the scale is surely without precedence. It shows that India’s new generation of leaders, unlike their fathers and grandfathers, may not be und..

In a major boost to India’s fight against bio-piracy at the multi-lateral level, World Trade Organisation director general Pascal Lamy, in his report on ‘GI extension and bio-diversity consultations’, has said that there is an important common ground on the need to implement Trips and the convention on bio-diversity (CBD) in a mutually supportive way. However, the DG also said that there is no agr..

Whereas it has come to the notice of this Ministry that an advertisement of “Lux-Cosy Undergarment”, showing semi clad male and female model and a dog, is being telecast on several TV Channels and whereas content of the said advertisement is found indecent, vulgar and suggestive and thus violative of Rule 7 (8) of the Advertising Code prescribed under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act..

Knight Riders taken to court for copyrights violation 5/14/2008 A lawsuit challenging Kolkata Knight Riders, owned by cinestar Shah Rukh Khan, alleged copyright violation for playing popular hindi songs during IPL match at Eden Gardens, was filed before Calcutta High Court today. The petitioner, Indian Performing Rights Society (IPRS), alleged that some popular songs like "Om Shanti Om" wer..

Balancing Copyrights With Public Access New Delhi, Apr 11 (UNI) Authors and other copyright owners were asked today to exercise their rights but help make materials affordable and accessible to consumers. The suggestion came from Minister of State for Human Resource Development D Purandeswari at a seminar on the Role of Judiciary in Enforcement of the Copyright Law. Speaking at th..

Novartis AG has moved the Madras High Court challenging the rejection of its patent application for beta crystalline form of imatinibmesylate, as well as the provisions of the Patents(Ammendment) Act 2005 under which it was rejected. The pharma major represented by Ranjana Mehta Dutta was rejected after a pre-grant opposition on the basis of Section 3(d) of the Patents (Ammendment) Act 2005. ..

In a bid to curb piracy, Microsoft India and industry players like Dell, HCL, HP, Lenovo, Sahara, Wipro and Zenith have launched a campaign "Asli Window ka Asli offer" aimed at making genuine software easily accessible. The customers are liable to get gifts worth of Rs 4000 in addition to two of broadband connection free and discount on antivirus software. According to Senior Director Micros..

The Delhi High Court has granted protection to J Mitra Company's HCV TRI-DOT, a device used in detection of Hepatitis C, while refraining Span Diagnostics from making or selling any product violative of Mitra's patent on the diagnostic kit. "The defendant (Span Diagnostics) and its agents are restrained from manufacturing, selling, offering for sale or in any manner dealing with the impugned pr..