http://www.olswang.com/ Olswang Solicitors - Legal News in the Technology, Media, Telecommunications and Real Estate Sectors Olswang, 90 High Holborn, London, WC1V 6XX. Tel +44 (0)20 7067 3000 Olswang (mailto:olsmail@olswang.com) http://www.olswang.com/images/logo_h.gif http://www.olswang.com/ 26 February 2010 - The EPO Enlarged Board of Appeal was asked to consider whether the known use of a medicament to treat a particular illness prevented the subsequent patenting of the same medicament for use in a different, new and inventive treatment of the same illness. The good news for applicants is that such a new and inventive treatment is patentable, clarifying that dosage regimens may be protected. http://www.olswang.com/newsarticle.asp?sid=127&aid=2905 2010-02-26 Articles Olswang (mailto:olsmail@olswang.com) 26 February 2010 - Where a claimed method covers an invasive step representing a substantial physical intervention on the body, that claim is excluded from patentability. It may be possible to avoid the exclusion by disclaiming the surgical embodiment, or omitting the surgical step. http://www.olswang.com/newsarticle.asp?sid=127&aid=2904 2010-02-26 Articles Olswang (mailto:olsmail@olswang.com) 27 October 2009 - April 2010 sees the introduction of significant rule changes at the EPO. The changes in law and our recommendations, in terms of best practice, are discussed in detail overleaf. The headline rule changes are as follows: http://www.olswang.com/newsarticle.asp?sid=127&aid=2749 2009-10-27 Articles Olswang (mailto:olsmail@olswang.com) 28 September 2009 - These are interesting times for software patents. Two very important decisions are currently awaited, one on each side of the Atlantic, both of which have the potential to set the software patent scene for some time to come. In Europe, the referral to the Enlarged Board of Appeal in the EPO on the patentability of computer implemented inventions is still pending. Meanwhile, in the USA, the decision of In re Bilski has now been referred to the Supreme Court. http://www.olswang.com/newsarticle.asp?sid=127&aid=2725 2009-09-28 Articles Olswang (mailto:olsmail@olswang.com) 07 August 2009 - The Enlarged Board of Appeal of the EPO (EBA) is currently considering two cases where questions have been referred in respect of patentability of certain biological processes for the production of plants and animals. http://www.olswang.com/newsarticle.asp?sid=127&aid=2677 2009-08-07 Articles Olswang (mailto:olsmail@olswang.com) 07 August 2009 - The Enlarged board (EBA) recently issued its decision regarding the patentability of inventions concerning human embryonic stem cells. The referral to the EBA from the Technical Board of Appeal (TBA) stemmed from a European patent application filed by Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) claiming a cell culture comprising primate embryonic cells capable of proliferation in vitro. http://www.olswang.com/newsarticle.asp?sid=127&aid=2676 2009-08-07 Articles Olswang (mailto:olsmail@olswang.com) 07 August 2009 - A referral has been made to the Enlarged Board of Appeal for guidance on the interpretation of the expression "treatment by surgery" as used in Article 52(4) EPC 1973 (Article 53(c) EPC 2000). http://www.olswang.com/newsarticle.asp?sid=127&aid=2675 2009-08-07 Articles Olswang (mailto:olsmail@olswang.com) 07 August 2009 - A referral has been made a referral to the Enlarged Board of Appeal regarding the patentability of a new dosage regime for a known medicament to treat an illness for which the medicament is currently used. http://www.olswang.com/newsarticle.asp?sid=127&aid=2674 2009-08-07 Articles Olswang (mailto:olsmail@olswang.com) 26 June 2009 - Recent decisions of the UK High Court and UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) show that the UK approach to patentability of computer related inventions has settled in the wake of the Symbian decision into an approach which differs slightly from that of the European Patent Office (EPO). This may result in different outcomes in some cases, so applicants should carefully consider whether to file applications at the EPO or the UKIPO. http://www.olswang.com/newsarticle.asp?sid=127&aid=2657 2009-06-26 Articles Olswang (mailto:olsmail@olswang.com)