News

Week’s news headlines – Aug. 28th 2015

PureTech’s long view on biopharma

Company building a new life sciences model for commercialization of intellectual property

Read more at: https://www.bostonglobe.com/busines

 

 

A Man Tried to Trademark a Chicken Sandwich and Failed Miserably

The World Intellectual Property Organization defines a trademark as something “capable of distinguishing the goods or services of one enterprise from those of other enterprises.” However, to the dismay of one seemingly bitter ex-fry cook in Puerto Rico, this definition does not include a fried chicken sandwich from a fast-food establishment.

Read more at: http://munchies.vice.com/articles/this-gu

 

 

Use of Competitors’ Trademarks as Google AdWords is not Infringement

The British Columbia Supreme Court has decided that the use of a competitor’s trademarks in Google AdWords does not constitute infringement.

Read more at: http://blog.bennettjones.com/2015/08/26/use-com

 

 

EBAY, PAYPAL FACE TRADEMARK INFRINGEMENT LAWSUIT

n a Monday (Aug. 24) article from Lawyers and Settlements, the suit, filed by Wimo Labs, which has trademarks for products that include iPhone cases and Apple Watch cases, said that the plaintiff has sent more than 5,000 notices of infringement to eBay over the past two years. In those notices, Wimo had requested that eBay remove those counterfeit products, which as they continue to be listed on the site, allegedly allow the company — and PayPal, through which payments are processed — to profit at Wimo’s expense.

Read more at: http://www.pymnts.com/news/2015

 

 

Latest Update on Federal Trade Secrets Legislation

With increased activity regarding proposed federal trade secrets legislation expected next month and for the remainder of the fall Congressional session, Seyfarth Shaw’s dedicated Trade Secrets/Non-Compete group has created a resource which summarizes the proposed legislation, outlines the arguments in favor of and against the legislation, and provides additional resources for our readers’ convenience. This page will be continuously updated as we monitor and keep you apprised of the most recent developments, debate, and news regarding the legislation.

Read more at: http://www.tradesecretslaw.com/201

 

 

Kinex’s $2.9 billion lawsuit accuses rivals of stealing trade secrets

In a sign of how highly Kinex values its drug candidates, the company in October filed a $2.9 billion lawsuit accusing a former top executive of breaching a confidentiality agreement and passing along trade secrets to two rival drug makers.

Read more at: http://www.buffalonews.com/b

 

 

Tech Firm Must Face Sham Patent Claim

Singapore- and San Jose-based Avago Technologies must face claims that it filed sham litigation to try to monopolize parts of the transceivers market, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.
IPtronics, a Denmark semiconductor company that dissolved in 2013, claimed in court that Avago had the International Trade Commission investigate bogus charges that it had violated two Avago patents, and that the investigation resulted in IPtronics’ buyout by Mellanox Technologies.

Read more at: http://www.courthousenews.com/20

 

 

Who benefits from IP rights in agricultural innovation?

In the past, agricultural R&D was largely publicly funded but today, increasingly the private sector is picking up the tab for global crop R&D, especially in the area of agricultural biotechnology. The industry’s top ten companies invest some EUR1.69 billion a year – 7.5 percent of sales revenue – on new product development, according to a recent report commissioned by CropLife International and EuropaBio.

Read more at: http://www.wipo.int/wipo_magazine/en/2

 

 

Using patents to ensure access to pioneering cell technology

Shinya Yamanaka’s work has revolutionized our understanding of how cells develop and specialize. His pioneering research won him the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2012, alongside developmental biologist Sir John Gurdon. Here, Professor Yamanaka outlines his research and explains why patents are crucial to its advance.

Read more at: http://www.wipo.int/wipo_magazine/en/2

 

 

SoundCloud Sued for Copyright Infringement by PRS for Music

SoundCloud, a popular music-streaming website that has previously clashed with the music industry, has been sued in connection with copyright infringement by a British agency that represents songwriters.

Read more at: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/2

 

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