EAST MEETS WEST

Japanese cases

The IPKat has been asked to draw his readers’ attention to the English translations of Japanese intellectual property cases available on the Japanese Institute of Intellectual Property’s website. Included are cases on all the major IP rights from a range of Japanese courts.

The database is still in development – comments and suggestions are encouraged to support@iip.or.jp


Naughty patent?

Lifestyle Extra reports that pharmaceutical company Phynova has obtained its first UK patent for a medicine based on Chinese medicine. The patent is in respect of PYN17, a botanical drug for the treatment of Hepatitis C.

The IPKat wonders precisely how much this drug is based on Chinese medicine. Presumably if it is too faithful, it should be barred from patentability.