The Greenshoots Podcast by Appleyard Lees, Episode 13: the intellectual property story behind vaccines & other health innovation.

What’s behind the headlines and soundbites? Patent attorneys Richard Bray, Barbara Fleck and Kate Hickinson discuss patents as drivers of vaccine and health technology innovation, and the reporting of patent issues by mainstream media. Discussion topics include: patents – fuelling innovation, or protecting corporate interests? | the need for patents & IP rights | the […]

Tech transfer teams’ IP challenges post-COVID-19 and beyond: part three how much data is enough in biotech and pharma patents applications?

‘Tech transfer teams’ IP challenges post-COVID-19 and beyond’ is a series of interactive virtual discussions, focused on unpacking the issues relevant to those managing intellectual property for tech transfer departments. In part three Barbara Fleck and David Walsh examine the requirements for sufficiency and plausibility at the EPO and provide practical advice on drafting robust applications.   […]

Tech transfer teams’ IP challenges post-COVID-19 and beyond, part two: cost-effective patent prosecution

‘Tech transfer teams’ IP challenges post-COVID-19 and beyond’ is a series of interactive virtual discussions, focused on unpacking the issues relevant to those managing intellectual property for tech transfer departments. Part two: cost-effective patent prosecution In part two, Appleyard Lees partners Barbara Fleck and Jennifer Delaney discussed ‘cost-effective patent prosecution’, including day-to-day considerations and filing […]

A tale of broccoli, tomatoes and peppers- the final chapter – G3/19

First published in AIPLA’s Biotech Buzz newsletter, Barbara Fleck explains the Enlarged Board of Appeal’s controversial decision. Abstract The Enlarged Board of Appeal (EBA) has ruled that plants or animals produced by an essentially biological process are not patentable in Decision G3/19 of 20 May 2020, a conclusion that goes against earlier Decisions in G2/131 […]

Tech transfer teams IP challenges post-COVID-19 and beyond part one: inventorship and ownership

‘Tech transfer teams’ IP challenges post-COVID-19 and beyond’ is a series of interactive virtual discussions, focused on unpacking the issues relevant to those managing intellectual property for tech transfer departments. Part one: inventorship and ownership In part one, Appleyard Lees partners Barbara Fleck, Ean Davies and Richard Bray discussed ‘inventorship and ownership’, including unexpected issues […]

Sufficiency at the UK Supreme Court in Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc v Kymab Ltd

The UK Supreme Court handed down the judgment in a much anticipated biotech decision on 24 June. The Court found that Regeneron’s patents are invalid for lack of sufficient disclosure. The Supreme Court therefore disagreed with the earlier Court of Appeal’s decision which – contrary to the first instance judge of the Patents Court – […]

A tale of broccoli, tomatoes and peppers – further uncertainty for Applicants

Are products exclusively obtained by essentially biological processes patentable at the EPO? This question has been somewhat controversial for many years. Following a decision by the Technical Board of Appeal earlier this year, the latest instalment in the tale of broccoli, tomatoes and peppers comes in the form of a referral by the President of […]

A tale of broccoli, tomatoes and peppers

After years of controversy, the Technical Board of Appeal (TBA) of the EPO has recently decided that products obtained by essentially biological processes can be patent protected. This decision comes after the EPO only very recently, on 1 July 2018, changed the rules that govern patentable subject matter to exclude such subject matter from patentability […]