Click on a week to view more

Week 0752

• In last week’s Current Patents Gazette, we reported on the filing of Janssen’s SPC application for paliperidone, which was SPC/GB07/065. Since then a further 18 SPC applications have been filed...
• Chiron Behring (Novartis) has filed an SPC application on EP0891420 to protect Optaflu, an intramuscular cell culture derived vaccine for the prevention of influenza...
• The remaining 16 SPC applications were filed by six companies on six patents and all relate to the HPV vaccines Gardasil or Cervarix...
• These applications mean that with 84 filings, 2007 was the largest year for SPC applications ever, except for 1993...
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed November 12th – November 18th 2007

Week 0751

• The PDJ this week reports two new Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) filings...
• Also reported in the PDJ is the entry into force on November 27, 2007 of Orion’s SPC for anti-Parkinson’s product, entacapone (Comtan),...
• Novartis also features in the remaining SPC event, the expiry of its SPC on EP0346953 protecting formestane...
• Although, not yet published in the PDJ, we can report that Janssen (J&J) has filed a UK SPC application on EP0368388 for paliperidone...
• Nordic Bioscience has filed a UK initial application claiming biochemical markers of cardiovascular disease risk...
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed November 5th - November 11th 2007

Week 0750

• The UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ No.6186) this week reports the filing of Bristol-Myers Squibb’s (BMS) Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) application for abatacept...
• The PDJ also reports the entry into force of Novartis’ SPC on EP0275821 for Zometa (zoledronic acid)...
• In contrast, Alcon’s SPC for apraclonidine (Iopidine) on EP081924 is reported in the PDJ as having expired on November 18, 2007...
• This weeks PDJ contains several important Special Notices. These include the official notification that three new Statutory Instruments concerning patents and SPCs will come into force on Monday 17th December 2007...
• A further Special Notice concerns The Patents Act 2004 (Commencement No. 4 and Transitional Provisions) Order 2007...
• Another Special Notice of interest concerns the weekly PDJ publication. As first announced in the PDJ in April 2007, a new service...
• The PDJ section on Revocations contains the Claim for Revocation lodged at the High Court on 30 March 2007 against Merck & Co’s EP1175904. This covers alendronate...
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed October 29th – November 4th 2007
  

Week 0749

• The UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ No.6185) this week publishes details of four Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) applications filed recently...
• Also published in this week’s PDJ was notice of the entry into force of the SPC protecting rabeprazole on EP0268956...
• The UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) announced this week that three new Statutory Instruments concerning patents and SPCs come into force next week on Monday December 17, 2007...
• Also in the UK, six new SPC applications have been filed according to the UKIPO web database. These include a veterinary vaccine...
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed October 22nd – October 28th 2007

Week 0748

• The UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ No. 6184) this week records the entry into force of sanofi-aventis’ Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) for dolasetron…
• In October two more countries acceded to the European Patent Convention (EPC). Accordingly, the revised EPC (EPC2000) will enter into force in both Norway (NO) and Croatia (HR)…
• Last week, on November 21, 2007, it was announced that GSK was to acquire Reliant Pharmaceuticals…
• PCT applications published on November 22 included a cluster from Cyclacel that seems to offer strong clues as to the likely identity of CYC-116…
• Medical and Pharmaceutical Industry Technology and Development Center (PITDC), based in Taiwan, has filed two UK initial applications (GB0720168 and GB0720144) disclosing the use of agents extracted from rhizomes of Zingiber officinale…
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed October 15th – October 21st 2007

Week 0747

• The UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ No. 6183) contains details of only one Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) application. This was filed by the Mount Sinai School of Medicine of New York University and covers Novartis’ Focetria…
• Novartis also has an interest in another of the applications, filed by L’Universite Montpellier, the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and Idenix (Cayman) Limited…
• GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has also recently filed a new SPC application, in the name of SmithKline Beecham PLC. This has been filed on EP1028961 for retapamulin…
• Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) has also filed a new SPC application which covers its abatacept product (Orencia), a CD28 antagonist…
• EiRx Therapeutics has filed a new UK initial application (GB0719893) entitled composition…
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed October 8th – October 14th 2007

Week 0746

• The UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ No. 6182) this week reports the filing of an SPC by Institut Pasteur on EP0682112 for Epoetin delta…
• The PDJ also reports the filing by Novartis of the SPC application covering the Exforge combination of valsartan and amlodipine…
• Three weeks ago, in Current Patents Gazette CPG 0743, we reported that Southern Research Institute (SRI) had been granted an SPC for clofarabine, marketed by Bioenvision and Genzyme as Clolar or Evoltra…
• Also reported this week is the expiry of Novartis’ SPC for molgramostim…
• With news this week of an avian influenza outbreak on a farm in the UK, which has been found to be the H5N1 strain, it seems particularly appropriate that an SPC application has been filed by Medimmune on EP0490972 which covers Novartis’ Focetria adjuvanted H5N1 vaccine…
• Procarta Biosystems has filed (GB0719367) with claims to transcription factor decoys…
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed October 1st – October 7th 2007

Week 0745

• The UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ No. 6181) does not report any Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) events this week. However, the online database shows that two new applications were filed on October 19th and 26th respectively. The first was filed by Novartis…
• The second new application also concerns Novartis, but is filed in the name of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine of New York University…
• As recorded last week, the Japanese Patent Gazette for October reported several granted patent extensions. In addition to those covered in CPG 0744, Kyowa Hakko and licensee Alcon Labs were granted five year extension…
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed September 24th – September 30th 2007

Week 0744

• The UK Patent and Designs Journal (PDJ No. 6180) this week gives details of three Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) applications filed and one SPC expiration…
• The remaining SPC application was filed by Mallinckrodt on EP0425571 and covers its imaging agent gadoversetamide (Optimark),…
• Alongside the filed applications, the PDJ gave notice that the SPC based on EP077754 covering quinagolide had expired October 5, 2007…
• In August, the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) published a final rule notice in the Federal Register (Fed. Reg. 46716 Aug. 21, 2007) revising the rules of practice in patent cases relating to continuing applications and requests for continued examination practices, and for the examination of claims in patent applications…
• In Japan, the October Japanese Patent Gazette reports that Roche has been granted patent extensions for two of its drug products…
• BMS’ Baraclude (entecavir), a viral replication inhibitor and cyclopentyl guanosine analog used for the once-daily oral treatment of chronic HBV infection, was granted an extra five years protection…
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed September 17th – September 23rd 2007

Week 0743

• The UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ No. 6179) this week records a number of different events relating to Supplementary Protection Certificates…
• The “new” filing was actually reported in last week’s Current Patents Gazette and covers Neurim Pharmaceuticals’ SPC application on EP0518468 covering Circadin…
• SPCs for the combination of ramipril + felodipine (Triapin/Unimax) based on Sanofi-Aventis’ (S-A) EP0265685 and equivalents came into force…
• Sanofi-Aventis has also received an SPC for its anti-obesity product, rimonabant…
• Southern Research Institute (SRI) of Birmingham, Alabama has been granted an SPC in the UK to protect clofarabine…
• Johnson and Johnson’s Alza subsidiary has been granted an SPC in the UK for its IONSYS Fentanyl Iontophoretic Transdermal System,…
• Lastly, the PDJ reports the grant of an SPC to Novartis covering deferasirox (Exjade)…
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed September 10th – September 16th 2007

Week 0742

• The UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ No 6178) this week reports details of three lodged Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) applications…
• GE Healthcare’s SPC for Omniscan (gadodiamide) on GB2181428 was reported by the PDJ to have expired…
• Finally, the PDJ reports that Roche’s SPC for mibefradil on EP0268148 was declared invalid on November 04, 2002…
• The UK Intellectual Property Office’s (UKIPO) web database of SPCs also contains details of a further two SPC applications…
• Two SPC applications were filed on October 3 to extend protection for Pfizer’s fesoterodine (Toviaz) product…
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed September 3rd – September 9th 2007

Week 0741

• The UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ No. 6177) this week reports the withdrawal of two Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) applications by Columbia Laboratories (Bermuda) Ltd for “Polycarbophil and testosterone”…
• The PDJ also reports the entry into force of an SPC for cidofovir…
• In the US, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) upheld an injunction against Apotex regarding its generic Depakote (divalproex sodium)…
• Immune Targeting Systems of North London has filed a new UK initial application (GB0716992) covering influenza antigen delivery vectors…
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed August 27th – September 2nd 2007

Week 0740

• The UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ No. 6176) records details of three granted Supplementary Protection Certificates (SPCs) this week and of the expiry of a fourth. In the first case, Syngenta…
• GTC Biotherapeutics has been granted an SPC for its antithrombin alfa product on EP0923308,…
• The third granted SPC was awarded to Pfizer for maropitant, a veterinary NK1 antagonist…
• The final event reported by the PDJ which relates to SPCs, concerns the expiry of an SPC granted to Sigma-Tau on EP077460 for valacyclovir…
• The ECJ recently ruled that national courts are free to decide whether or not to apply TRIPs (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Agreement)…
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed August 20th – August 26th 2007

Week 0739

• The UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ No 6175) this week reports details of two SPC applications on EP0707476 filed by Cerus protecting its the INTERCEPT Blood System…
• Several new SPC applications were also noted on the UKIPO website this week. Amongst these, (OSI) Prosidion has filed an application for an SPC covering sitagliptin…
• Two applications have also been filed based on the approval for GSK’s Daronix vaccine product. These applications were both originally filed by the Mount Sinai School of Medicine…
• AstraZeneca have also been in the news this week with the announcement that it is acquiring Verus Pharmaceuticals’ pediatric asthma development programs…
• The University of Durham has filed a UK initial application for stem cell-derived neurotrophic factors…
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed August 13th – August 19th 2007

Week 0738

• No new SPC events were reported in the UK Patents and Designs Journal this week, but the grant in August of a Swiss SPC on EP0914118 to Novartis for deferasirox (Exjade), came to our attention…
• BiotechGen has this week filed three UK initial applications regarding the modification of enzyme action for the treatment of microbes or diseases,…
• Prosarix has initiated patent protection for novel serotonergic modulators by filing a UK initial application…
• Proximagen has filed a UK initial application claiming amino acid derivatives. The company has four previous PCTs published…
• Dr Gino Francesco is seeking UK patent protection for a method of treating and containing pulmonary tuberculosis…
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed August 6th – August 12th 2007

Week 0737

• Business news in the UK national press recently included positive product development indications for AstraZeneca, in relation to the anti-inflammatory drug it is developing in collaboration with Pozen Inc…
• The UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ) No. 6173 this week reports the expiry on August 22, 2007 of Cancer Research Technology’s (CRT’s) SPC for temozolomide…
• In Japan, the August Gazette published details of four extension applications by GD Searle (Pfizer) for celecoxib (Celebrex)…
• York Pharma has filed an initial UK application for improved skin barrier function. This seems to read directly on to the skin protease inhibitor development program…
• Lectus Therapeutics this week filed five UK initial applications all entitled “Calcium ion modulators and uses thereof”. A University of Bristol spin-out company…
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed July 30th – August 5th 2007

Week 0736

• No Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) events were reported in the UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ No.6172) this week. However, ahead of publication in the PDJ, we can report the filing of five SPC applications. Cerus Corp has filed two SPC applications covering the INTERCEPT Blood System for platelets and plasma…
• An SPC application was filed by SmithKline Beecham for rosiglitazone + metformin, based on EP996444…
• Merck has requested an SPC for sitagliptin based on EP1412357, which will expire March 2022 if granted…
• Finally we can report that Celgene has filed an SPC application on EP0925294 for Revlimid™ (lenalidomide),…
• On September 05, the US Court of Appeals (CAFC) upheld the validity of US Reissue 34712 covering Forest Laboratories’ Lexapro,…
• Molecular Vision Limited (MVL) has filed two UK initial applications to protect a detection apparatus and method. The Imperial Innovations spin-off…
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed July 23rd – July 29th 2007

Week 0735

• The University of Bradford is implicated, though very obliquely, in an invention from Italy which we covered in Section C of last week’s Current Patents Gazette. Because of the speed at which Thomson Scientific analysts have to work on new patent publications…
• Cis Bio has filed a UK initial application (GB0713963) for lanthanide (III) ion complexing compounds, luminescent lanthanide (III) ion complexes and their uses as fluorescent labels…
• VASTox, now re-named Summit, has a UK patent application (GB0714303) relating to the use of compounds for preparing antitubercular agents…
• Karo Bio has filed a UK initial application (GB0714245) for novel estrogen receptor ligands. Merck & Co, under license from Karo Bio,…
• Please note that WIPO is affected by a public holiday next week, Jeune Genevois to be specific, and in consequence will be publishing new PCT applications a day late…
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed July 16th – July 22nd 2007

Week 0734

• In the UK headline news for August 22nd was a decision from NICE, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence, to make rituximab (Roche’s MabThera) freely available on the NHS to sufferers from severe arthritis…
• Meanwhile, in the United States, the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) has published new rules in the Federal Register intended to make patent examination more effective and efficient…
• This week, the UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ No 6170) reports the entry into force on July 31, 2007, of a Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) for a fixed combination of dipyridamole and aspirin…
• The PDJ also reports the filing of two SPCs, including one to Syngenta based on EP-1282595 for its plant protection product, mandipropamid…
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed July 9th – July 15th 2007

Week 0733

• This week’s UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ 6169) contains details of three granted Supplementary Protection Certificates (SPCs), including one to Syngenta…
• E.R. Squibb (now BMS) has received a full five-year duration SPC on EP0481754, the product patent for entecavir…
• An SPC has also been granted to Genentech on EP973804 for ranibizumab (Lucentis) which extends the protection for the product by around 3 years 9 months…
• The SPC granted to Roche Diagnostics for Novartis’ Zometa (zoledronic acid) which achieved sales of over $1.2 billion in 2006, was reported by the PDJ to have entered into force on July 24th,…
• Also reported as entering into force was the SPC to Laboratorios Farmaceuticos Rovi for bemiparin, a low molecular weight heparin with antithrombotic activity…
• In Japan, the July gazette published details of patent extensions granted to Zentaris and Tulane Education Fund for cetrorelix acetate and to Otsuka and Taiho Pharma for use of TS-1…
• Nyjon Eccles has filed a UK initial application (GB0713086) for combinatorial compositions for use in disease therapies…
• Stuart Mark Wilson has filed a UK initial application (GB0713255) for improved methods and kits for detecting an enzyme capable of modifying a nucleic acid…
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed July 2nd – July 8th 2007

Week 0732

• Thomson Scientific analysts have been working to identify the critical patent protection for several dozen emerging drugs that received non-proprietary names during the first part of 2007…
• A particularly interesting situation now exists between Solvay, the inventor of cannabinoid CB1 antagonist rosonabant, and the Spanish company Esteve…
• This week’s UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ No 6168) reports the entry into force on July 09, 2007, of a Supplementary Protection Certificate for ibandronic acid…
• The PDJ also reports that a Claim for Revocation of EP-1176981 was lodged against Genentech and Biogen IDEC at the Patent Court on May 31, 2007 (HC07 C01404). A revocation claim had already been filed by Glaxo Group…
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed June 25th – July 1st 2007

Week 0731

• The UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ No 6167) reports the grant of LTS Lohmann’s and Schwarz Pharma’s UK SPC covering rotigotine…
• Schwarz Pharma (now part of UCB), under license from Aderis, has launched a once-daily transdermal patch formulation and a nasal formulation of the dopamine D2 agonist…
• Sales for rotigotine (Neupro), reported by Schwarz Pharma, for 2006 totaled US $11.93 million. Although TS SDdb analysts predict that net sales should rise significantly to US $95 million by 2010…
• Elan Pharma’s UK SPC for Tysabri (natalizumab), based on EP804237 has been granted and will expire in January 2020…
• Bionature EA is applying for patent protection for neurosteroids. This follows publication of WO2004047866, in which non-steroidal CRH-R1 antagonists were claimed…
• Astech Projects has filed an initial UK patent application covering a device for automatically shaking an inhaler…

Week 0730

• The UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ No 6166) reports the entry into force of three UK Supplementary Protection Certificates (SPCs). Two SPCs for the fungicides kresoxim-methyl...
• On June 30, 2007, Genetics Institute’s SPC for dibotermin alfa also entered into force; based on EP0313578,...
• The PDJ also reports the expiry of Taiho’s SPC for its combination product comprising tazobactam and piperacillin based on EP97446, marketed by Wyeth as Tazocin and Zosyn...
• On July 23, 2007 the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit refused the appeal that AstraZeneca filed in February 2006, for the validity and enforceability of US5081154...
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed June 14th – June 17th 2007

Week 0729

• The UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ No 6165) reports the lodge of Nihon Nohyaku’s veterinary agent metaflumizone and amitraz...
• PhotoCure’s UK SPC covering hexyl aminolevulinate, and based on EP820432, was granted on June 22, 2007; this will expire in September 2019. PhotoCure has launched Hexvix...
• The PDJ also reports the grant of GlaxoSmithKline Biological SA’s UK SPC covering a live attenuated human rotavirus on June 25, 2007...
• Wyeth has been granted a UK SPC for tigecycline on EP536515, which will expire on August 2017. Patent term extensions, for this product...
• On June 25, 2007, EPIX Pharmaceuticals Inc was granted an SPC for gadofosveset trisodium, a diagnostic imaging contrast agent, based on EP806968...
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed June 4th – June 10th 2007

Week 0728

• The UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ No. 6164) this week reports only one event concerning Supplementary Protection Certificates (SPCs), the filing of an SPC application for pyriprole...
• Sandoz (Novartis) has been granted two extensions of five years on JP07025690 for the use of cyclosporine in suppression of rejection in cardiac transplants...
• Otsuka Pharma was granted two five year extensions on JP07076214 for the oral vasopressin V2 antagonist mozavaptan (OPC-31260, Physuline)...
• Pfizer’s tolterodine tartrate (Detrol; Detrusitol) also gained additional protection with an extension of one year, five months and seven days being granted on JP3616011...
• On July 11, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit reversed a judgement of validity in the Apotex Vs. Daiichi Sankyo case regarding Daiichi’s ofloxacin otic product...
• Generics (UK) is seeking patent protection (GB0710680) for a novel crystalline form of olmesartan medoxomil...
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed May 28th – May 3rd 2007

Week 0727

• The UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) is announcing the launch of a new patents publication service. Both unexamined (A) and granted (B) documents will be viewable...
• The UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ No 6163) this week reports on several SPC (Supplementary Protection Certificate) events...
• Amongst these, the PDJ reports that Bayer AG has been granted an SPC on EP0662326 for its Profender veterinary combination of emodepside and praziquantel...
• Although more widely known as a generic drug company, Teva does own the IP rights to several innovative drugs. Among these is rasagiline mesylate...
• Acacia Pharma is a hospital-based pharmaceutical company established as recently as September 2006. It has this week filed five UK initial applications...
• Oxford Biomedica (UK) Ltd has filed an initial UK application (GB0710135) for a promoter construct...
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed May 21st – May 27th 2007

Week 0726

• The June 27 issue of the UK’s Patents and Design Journal includes formal notification that a Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) has been granted to Cubist Pharmaceuticals Inc in relation to Daptomycin…
• Intercytex Group, based in Cambridge UK, was making news worldwide this week following publication of a paper in the journal Regenerative Medicine. The company’s founder and CSO, Dr Paul Kemp, was reporting a successful outcome to a 28-day phase I trial using the ICX-SKN collagen-based matrix for skin grafts…
• NPS Allelix has also been granted a UK SPC for its recombinant human parathyroid hormone product, Preotact…
• On Wednesday June 27 a US Senate committee approved a bipartisan bill that will allow the FDA to approve generic drugs based on biologic components…
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed May 14th – May 20th 2007

Week 0725

• GD Searle LLC features on the UK Intellectual Property Office’s website in a posting added on June 21, 2007. The subject is the filing of SPC/ GB07/038, seeking extended protection for darunavir. Searle is of course now a component of Pfizer…
• This week the Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ) No 6161 reports the lodging of two UK Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) applications for exenatide products both from Amylin Pharm…
• Also reported in the PDJ this week is the entry into force of two SPCs. On May 29 2007, upon expiry of EP247633, a UK SPC for atorvastatin (SPC/GB07/011) came into force, expiring on November 6, 2011…
• The second UK SPC reported to be entering into force and expiring May 27, 2012 is for Ortho’s tepoxalin…
• Finally, the PDJ reports the expiry of Merck’s SPC/GB93/006 based on EP155096 which expired on May 26, 2007. Equivalent US4760071 expired on June 19…
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed May 7th – May 13th 2007

Week 0724

• This week the Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ No 6160) reports the lodge of the UK Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) application for E.I. Du Pont De Nemours’ indoxacarb...
• The PDJ also reports the entering into force of three SPCs; including SPC/GB97/066, for pendimethalin and cyanazinea...
• On May 20, 2007, upon expiry of EP0248703, two UK SPCs for the streptogramin quinupristin (SPC/GB00/001) and the combination product quinupristin and dalfopristin (SPC/GB00/002)...
• Last week we reported on Japanese patent extensions granted to sanofi-aventis and to Daiichi (now Daiichi Sankyo) for Plavix and levofloxacin...
• The Japanese Patent Gazette published May 25th also reported that two extensions have been granted to Ono Pharmaceuticals for landiolol,...
• JP3176630 received extensions of over 4 years, nine months for linezolid (Zyvox) which is indicated for the treatment of multiresistant Gram-positive bacterial infections...
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed April 30th - May 6th 2007

Week 0723

• In a ruling released on Tuesday (June 5) this week, Merck & Co's US patent US5817340, titled "Pharmaceutical compositions containing famotidine and aluminium hydroxide or magnesium hydroxide" was invalidated for obviousness…
• Amylin Pharmaceuticals has made two SPC applications for exenatide, based on EP1140145 disclosing exenatide formulations for suppressing glucagon and EP996459 relating to the use of exenatide for treating diabetes and gastric motility…
• Last week we reported that sanofi-aventis had been granted five year extensions on three patents for Plavix (clopidogrel sulphate)…
• Daiichi (now Daiichi Sankyo) also received extensions of just under 5 years on two related patents for levofloxacin (Cravit, Levaquin) used in treating infections…
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed April 23rd - April 29th 2007

Week 0722

• This week, the UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ 6158) reports the expiry of three SPCs. Two of them relate to sanofi-aventis’ antibacterials cefpirome (for human use) and cefquinome (veterinary use),…
• The last two months have seen a number of patent extensions granted in Japan. Losartan potassium, marketed as Cozaar by Merck, received a five year extension…
• Clopidogrel sulphate (Plavix) gained five year extensions on three patents, expiring Feb 2013 to July 2016 and an extension of just over 1 year on a fourth, which will expire June2020, which will be good news to Sanofi-aventis and BMS…
• Takeda were the biggest beneficiary with eight extensions on four patents protecting pioglitazone HCl (Actos)…
• Oxford Ancestors has filed a UK initial application this week claiming nucleic acid containing media. This must represent the interface between genealogy and biotechnology…
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed April 16th - April 22nd 2007

Week 0721

• This week’s Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ 6157) includes formal notification that on April 29, 2007, upon expiry of EP245997, the UK Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) for the antiarrhythmic dofetilide came into force for a full five-year period. Pfizer’s Tikosyn product benefits from similar extended protection…
• The SPC for Wyeth’s Prevnar product, based on EP245045, was also reported by the PDJ to have entered into force on May 1, 2007, with protection being extended until April 30, 2012. Prevnar, a pneumococcal 7-valent conjugate vaccine that comprises a sterile solution of saccharides…
• Earlier this week, the Thai government announced that compulsory licenses for three drugs, HIV/AIDs drugs efavirenz and Kaletra and heart drug Plavix, would continue to be enforced…
• Gene Bridges has filed an initial UK application covering novel proteasome inhibitors. The company, founded in 2000 as a spin-off of the European Molecular Biology Laboratories (EMBL)..
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed April 9th - April 15th 2007

Week 0720

• A new class of anti-HIV drug that has recently been grabbing headlines across the world is the HIV integrase inhibitors, and this week sees the issue of a US patent covering one of the most promising candidates...
• One of the lodged UK SPCs from Merck relates to HPV vaccine (types 6, 11, 16, 18) based on EP1165126, the latter three, all based on EP0817851, are for HPV type 18L1 protein and DNA encoding it...
• Merck & Co and sanofi pasteur, using technology licensed from University of Queensland and John Hopkins University, have launched Gardasil (Silgard), aquadrivalent VLP vaccine against types 16, 18, 6 and 11, for the prophylaxis of genital warts and cervical cancer caused by HPV infection...
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed April 2nd - April 8th 2007

Week 0719

• Three weeks ago we reported the March 27th entry into force of a UK SPC offering a further five years’ protection for the sanofiaventis Pentavac product. The basis for that event was Merieux’ EP239504,…
• UK media have been focusing on study in which the speed of introduction and uptake of cancer therapies came under scrutiny. Researchers at the Karolinska Institute and the Stockholm School of Economics found that the uptake of certain new therapies was an order of magnitude higher in the US than in Europe,…
• Sterix Ltd is a subsidiary of Ipsen that develops steroid-based therapeutics for hormone-dependent cancers and other hormone-associated diseases…
• Denis Solomon has this week filed a UK initial application (GB0706464) entitled ‘a simple in vitro preparative method for the in situ recognition of unmanipulated human melanocytes and melanosomes in human epidermis’…
• Scancell has filed an initial UK application (GB706070) claiming nucleic acids. A 1996 spin out of Nottingham University…
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed March 26th - April 1st 2007

Week 0718

• A study reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, on the use of intravenous zoledronic acid in preventing osteoporosis has been in UK news headlines this week. Almost 8,000 post-menopausal women took part in a trial, which involved a 15-minute annual infusion…
• The May 2, 2007 UK Patent and Designs Journal (PDJ No 6154) reports that the US Government NIH’s UK SPC for zalcitabine (SPC/GB95/003), based on EP216511, expired on April 6, 2007,…
• PDL BioPharma filed UK SPC application SPC/GB07/033 for Genentech’s ranibizumab on April 17, 2007, based on EP451216 and an EU marketing authorization…
• The Queen patent essentially covers the basic anti-VEGF antibody technology, although Genentech has a later product case,…
• Genentech’s Herceptin (trastuzumab); the USPTO declared it invalid and Genetech is reported to be considering an appeal. MedImmune, a licensee for the original Cabilly Patent…
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed March 19th - March 25th 2007

Week 0717

• The April 25, 2007 edition of the Patent and Designs Journal (PDJ No 6153) reports the lodge of one SPC from BMS medical Imaging for perflutren-containing lipid Microspheres…
• The PDJ also reported that Novartis’ UK SPC for basiliximab was rejected, as was its’ UK SPC covering a combination comprising artemether and lumefantrin;…
• As previously reported in Current Patents Gazette (0516), on April 21, 2005 the European Court of Justice (ECJ) passed judgement with regard to two SPC related cases, C-207/03 and C-252/03, involving Swiss Marketing Authorizations (MAs…
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed March 12th - March 18th 2007

Week 0716

• The Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ No 6152) reports the grant of four SPCs, including Syngenta’s plant protection product comprising terbuthylazine and mesotrione and Pfizer’s veterinary product, cefovecin…
• Chiron Corporation was granted an SPC for palifermin…
• The inventors that have been granted the second SPC mentioned above, all work for the US National Institutes of Health (NIH),...
• Term extensions have been granted in Australia for Kepivance…
• Chiron initially opposed EP555205, but withdrew its opposition in January 2003. Its own patent, EP0706563…
• Gilead Sciences Inc received a UK SPC covering pegaptanib, preferably in the form of its sodium salt. Based on EP0957929, the SPC will provide further protection until January 30, 2021…
• On March 24, 2007 AstraZeneca’s SPC covering quetiapine, optionally in the form of a pharmaceutically acceptable salt entered into force; it is due to expire on March 23, 2012…
• On March 27, 2007 Pasteur-Merieux’s SPC for a combination of purified pertussis toxoid and purified pertussis filamentous haemagglutinin, entered into force…
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed March 5th - March 11th 2007

Week 0715

• In the news this week was the reported discovery of the so-called “fat gene”. Scientists from Imperial College London and the Hammersmith Hospital studied families from across the world and found all those affected by Anderson Disease, chylomicron retention disease (CMRD), and CMRD with Marinesco-Sjogren syndrome…
• The Patents & Designs Journal (PDJ No 6151) has published the lodge of two SPCs for a HPV vaccine from Merck & Co, the grant of Amgen’s SPC for palifermin…
• Further to our Easter report in Current Patents Gazette (0713) the PDJ now reports that Merck & Co has lodged two SPCs for human papillomavirus vaccine (types 6, 11, 16, 18)…
• Merck & Co and European partner Sanofi Pasteur MSD, using technology licensed from CSL/Uniquest (a subsidiary of the University of Queensland) and Johns Hopkins University, have developed and launched Gardasil (Silgard), a quadrivalent VLP vaccine…
• Also reported in the PDJ this week was the grant of Amgen’s SPC for palifermin. Based on EP0785949 that claims a method for purifying keratinocyte growth factors...
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed February 26th - March 4th 2007

Week 0714

• The UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ No 6150) reports the lodge of several SPCs from MedImmune, University of Queensland, CSL Ltd and the University of Rochester, all for virus-like particles (VLPs) of HPV as vaccines...
• MedImmune Inc lodged an SPC covering a combination of VLPs of human papilloma virus types 6, 11, 16 and 18...
• The University of Rochester has lodged an SPC in the UK and France covering a combination of the recombinant L1 protein of HPV type 6, 11, 16 and 18,...
• Although not yet published in the PDJ, the United States Government (DHHS) has also filed three SPCs, through Merck’s Patent Dept., that relate to recombinant HPV16 L1 proteins...
• The University of Queensland and CSL have lodged three SPCs based on EP0595935 covering the combination of HPV 6, 11, 16 and 18 VLPs,...
• Ahead of publication in the PDJ, Merck & Co has also made six SPC applications for HPV vaccines...
• GlaxoSmithKline under license from MedImmune, is developing Cervarix a combination vaccine comprising selfassembling, VLPs...
• Merck & Co and European partner sanofi pasteur MSD, using technology licensed from CSL/Uniquest (a subsidiary of the University of Queensland) and John Hopkins University, have developed and launched Gardasil (Silgard),...

Week 0713

• The UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ No 6149) reports that Genentech has lodged an SPC for ranibizumab,...
• The humanized anti-VEGF antibody fragment, ranibizumab (Lucentis), manufactured by XOMAs bacterial cell expression technology, was approved in the US in June 2006, as a treatment for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The drug is marketed outside the US by Novartis Ophthalmics,...
• The PDJ also reports that Novartis’ SPC for letrozole entered into force on March 05, 2007...
• Also reported in the PDJ was the news that Shionogi’s SPC covering ceftibuten and based on GB2154580, expired on March 02, 2007...
• Ahead of publication in the PDJ, Schering AG has lodged a UK SPC for a combination of 17alpha-ethinylestradiol betadex clathrate and drospirenone...
• The combination, marketed as Yasmin, has been developed and extensively launched by Schering (now Bayer Schering) as an oral contraceptive since the launch in Germany...
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed between February 12th - 18th 2007

Week 0712

• The UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ NO. 6148), issued March 21, 2007, contains details of two claims for revocation. The first (HC06C00457) relates to Lundbeck’s EP0347066...
• The second claim for revocation (HC0700367) is against EP1176981 which is assigned to Genentech and Biogen Idec...
• The PDJ also reports the entry in to force of Nihon Bayer’s SPC for Thiacloprid...
• Novartis’ SPC for tropisetron, based on GB2125398, expired on February 25, 2007. Launched as Novaban in Western Europe...
• In an unrelated case, that would appear to have relevance to this situation, the Austrian Supreme Court ruled in October 2006 on the duration of SPCs based on old Austrian national patents...
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed February 5th - 11th 2007

Week 0711

• The UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ No 6147), published on March 14, 2007 reports the withdrawal of Novartis’ Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) covering enfuvirtide...
• The March 24 issue of PDJ No 6147) reports the expiration of the SPC (SPC/GB93/146) for Abbott’s trandolapril...
• This issue of the PDJ also reports that Sankyo’s SPC (SPC/GB93/146) covering the combination product Zimecterin (ivermectin and praziquantel) based on GB2093695, expired on February 17, 2007...
• The February Japanese gazette reports seven granted patent extensions on four patents. Two extensions of three years nine months and ten days were granted to Takeda for lansoprazole used in unerosive gastroesophageal regurgitation...
• UK initial ("A0") applications filed January 29th - February 4th 2007

Week 0710

• The UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ No 6146) this week reports the filing of SPC/GB/07/011, covering EPIX’s MRI contrast agent gadofosveset trisodium...
• Cambridge Enterprise has lodged a UK initial application (GB0701626) pertaining to biomarkers for the diagnosis and monitoring of psychotic disorders...
• Chatham Biotec has lodged a UK initial application (GB0701523) pertaining to a semisynthetic process for taxane derivatives,...
• KU Leuven Research and Development has filed two initial UK applications. The first is for the inhibition of HIV (GB0701474)...
• Mucokinetica has filed an initial UK application (GB0701608) entitled ‘treatment for respiratory disease’...
• The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, which claims to be India’s largest research and development organisation, has this week filed a UK initial application (GB0701454)...
• UCL Business is described as the main gateway for organisations that wish to draw on the expertise of the academic staff of University College London (UCL). They have filed a UK initial application (GB0701640) titled "cancer target"...
• UK initial ("A0") applications filed January 24th - 30th 2007

Week 0709

• The February 28th issue of the UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ No 6145) reports two Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) applications...
• As reported two weeks ago in the Current Patents Gazette (CPG0707), the PDJ now reports the lodge of a UK SPC covering the combination of pioglitazone and metaformin by Takeda Pharmaceutical...
• Similarly, the PDJ also reports the filing of a UK SPC covering a testosterone patch by Watson Laboratories...
• The expiry of UCB’s SPC for levocetirizine based on EP-0058146 is also reported. This SPC expired as expected on February 05, 2007...
• The final SPC item recorded in the PDJ this week, was the declaration of invalidity of GSK’s SPC for Advair, a combination product comprising salmeterol and flucticasone propionate...
• Probiodrug is a privately owned drug development company, founded by two biochemists, Dr.’s Hans-Ulrich Demuth and Konrad Glund. Established in 1997, this spinoff of the Leibniz-Society Institute "Hans-Knöll-Institut für Wirkstoffforschung"...
• UK initial ("A0") applications filed January 15th - 21st 2007

Week 0708

• The Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ No 6144) this week published the filing of one SPC...
• SPCs originally granted to Chiron covering Genentech’s Herceptin (trastuzumab) and to Novartis Vaccines covering Roche’s Fuzeon (enfuviritide) were “declared invalid"...
• Also published in this week’s PDJ was the declaration of invalidity of Sankyo’s SPC for its veterinary combination antimicrobial product, Zimecterin® Gold...
• Following on from a previous report in Current Patents Gazette, issue 0707, the PDJ has now published the lodge of an SPC for Pfizer’s veterinary drug maropitant...
• In the US, Genentech announced on February 21 that the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) had issued a final Office action in its re-examination of US6331415, the “New Cabilly” or “Cabilly II” patent...
• Arrow International and Chongqing Shenghuaxi Pharmaceutical lodged a UK initial application for “crystalline duloxetine hydrochloride”. This is not the first time that these two applicants have appeared as coassignees...
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed January 10th - 17th 2007

Week 0707

• The first was filed in January by Takeda Pharmaceuticals for a combination comprising pioglitazone and metaformin, marketed as Actoplus Met (Competact) under collaboration with Andrx...
• Watson Laboratories also filed a UK SPC application in January for a testosterone containing transdermal patch...
• In February 2007 EPIX Pharmaceuticals filed an SPC application for gadofosveset trisodium...
• February’s Icelandic Gazette reports the grant to Pfizer of an SPC for their veterinary product tulathromycin...
• The UK PDJ records that Claims for Revocation against three patents assigned to Chiron and parent Novartis had been discontinued by “Consent Order” of the High Court...
• Two PCT applications, WO2007019266 and WO2007019267, received this week were filed by MiNeueT Therapeutics...
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed January 4th - 10th 2007

Week 0706

• In February 2007 Synaptech Inc’s Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) for galanthamine (galantamine) entered into force,...
• Dr Davis is also named as the assignee on WO0030446, covering a dosage form of galanthamine and on the US equivalent of WO8808708, US4663318,...
• In February 2007 Bracco’s SPC for gadobenate dimeglumine entered into force. Based on EP230893, the gadoliniumbased gadobenic acid contrast agent used for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)...
• The PDJ (No 6142) now reports the lodge of an SPC on EP923308 and EP264166 made by GTC Biotherapeutics and Genzyme Corporation...
• After much discussion, the new EU regulation on medicinal products for paediatric use (Regulation (EC) 1901/2006, as amended by Regulation (EC) 1902/2006) came into force across the EU on January 26, 2007...
• January’s Japanese Gazette contained details of granted patent extensions for Novartis, Roche and Astellas...
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed December 25th 2006 - January 1st 2007

Week 0705

• On January 31, 2007 the UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ No 6141) published the grant of an SPC for the agrochemical pinoxaden, the withdrawal of an SPC covering salmeterol...
• Firstly, GlaxoSmithKline’s SPC application based on EP-00616523, which covers formulations of salmeterol, salbutamol, fluticasone propionoate...
• When GSK filed the SPC application for a combination of salmeterol with the propellant 1,1,1,2-teterofluoroethane based on EP-00616523...
• However, on May 04, 2006, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) issued a judgement on case C-431/04 (MIT; Gliadel) that essentially rules out SPCs for new formulations of active ingredients...
• In light of this decision, published in July 2006, it would seem that GSK has decided to withdraw its application covering a combination of salmeterol and the excipient, 1,1,1,2-teterofluoroethane,...
• An SPC application covering deferazirox (deferasirox) has been filed by Novartis based on EP914118,...
• Bayer Pharmaceuticals have requested a UK SPC for their anti-cancer drug, sorafenib (Nexavar)...
• A UK SPC application covering sitaxentan has also been filed by Encysive Pharmaceuticals...
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed December 18th - 24th 2006

Week 0704

• No SPCs were reported in the UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ (No. 6140) this week. However, ahead of publication in the PDJ GTC Biotherapeutics has filed for an SPC on antithrombin alfa...
• LEO Pharma licensed Atryn from GTC Biotherapeutics in November 2005 and is co-developing an intravenous formulation of antithrombin alfa...
• Interestingly Genzyme, from which GTC Biotherapeutics was demerged in June 2002 to become a stand-alone company, has lodged an SPC application on the same day (10/01/2007), also covering antithrombin alfa...
• This week’s PDJ includes notification that the Yemen will join the Paris Convention...
• The latter announcement could be particularly relevant for the pharmaceutical industry, as Malta is currently regarded as a “favourable patent environment” for Generic drugs companies,...
• 7TM Pharma has filed two UK initial patent applications this week (GB0625196 and GB0625197) both relating to cannabinoid receptor modulators...
• Universidad de Murcia, has filed an initial UK application (GB0625100) entitled epigallocatechin-3-gallate compositions...
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed December 12th - December 20th 2006

Week 0703

• Three weeks ago in the final 2006 issue of the Current Patents Gazette (CPG 0652) we noted that e-Therapeutics Limited had filed an initial UK patent application for treatment of multi-drug resistant bacterial infection,...
• There are no SPC events announced in the UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ No. 6139) this week. However we can report that the December Japanese Patent Gazette published on Christmas Day, contained details of eight granted patent extensions...
• Six extensions were granted on three patents for the antibacterial, Finibax 0.25 g infusion developed and marketed by Shionogi and Peninsula Pharmaceuticals (a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson)...
• Five year extensions were also granted to Applied Research Systems (ARS) Holdings (Serono) for follitropin,...
• Scientists based at the Roslin Institute, famous for producing Dolly, the fist cloned sheep have announced that they have succeeded in the production of transgenic chickens...
• GE Healthcare Limited is claiming a method for determining genotoxicity in a UK initial application (GB0624462) this week...
• UK initial (“A0”) applications filed November 29th - December 5th 2006

Week 0702

• The UK Patents and Designs Journal (PDJ No 6138) reports the entry into force of two SPCs, one of which is for BASF’s pesticide fipronil,...
• Further to our previous report on the joint filing of an SPC for RotaTeq by the Wistar Institute and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia...
• The US Supreme Court issued a judgement on January 09, 2007 in the Medimmune Vs Genentech case that could have huge implications for the pharmaceutical industry...
• Also in the USA, California Representatives Issa and Schiff reintroduced into Congress a Bill considered but not voted upon in the last Congress, H.R. 34, the "Patent Courts Pilot" bill...
• As expected, Italy has reintroduced government fees, in addition to maintenance fees for Italian patents, according to a recent bulletin issued by the Societa Italiana Brevetti (SIB)...

Week 0701

• Ahead of publication in the PDJ, however, is the filing of four SPC applications, one of which is agrochemical. SPC/GB07/001, lodged by Encysive Pharmaceuticals Inc and based on EP0819125, covers sitaxentan...
• Novartis AG has lodged a UK SPC based on EP0914118 for deferazirox (deferasirox) and marketed as EXJADE...
• Syngenta Participation AG filed SPC/GB07/003, based on EP0580553 originally assigned to Ciba-Geigy AG,...
• Finally, in December 2006 Bayer Pharmaceuticals lodged a UK SPC (SPC/GB07/004) for sorafenib based on EP1140840. Approximately two months earlier Bayer lodged a French SPC application based on the same EP,...
• In Current Patents Gazette 0648 we reported on the Merial SPC application, which contained an anomalous first authorisation date of January 18, 2006 for a 1999 approval of veterinary product selamectin...
• Just shortly before Christmas, Advitech Inc announced the grant of US7141262. This patent covers the company’s manufacturing process of its platform technology known as XP-828L (Dermylex) based on previous work of Pierre Jouan Biotechnologies,...
• Avidex Ltd is seeking protection for a UK application claiming polypeptides. This is likely to follow closely on from WO2006125963, having the same title and claiming high affinity polypeptides against MHC Class I peptides,...
• UK initial ("A0") applications filed November 21st - 28th 2006

Back to top