1. 2024 AIPPI World Congress Opens in Hangzhou
Themed "balanced protection and innovative development of IP rights," the 2024 International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI) World Congress opened in Hangzhou on October 19. The event is co-organized by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the AIPPI. Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the 2024 International AIPPI World Congress. Xi stressed that China has always attached great importance to intellectual property protection and actively promoted the construction of a powerful intellectual property country, achieving historic accomplishments in the field of IP rights and forging a path for IP development with Chinese characteristics.
Source: http://www.xinhuanet.com/20241020/52763ff944b84bee9754ec752d532450/c.html
2. Unitary Patent Enjoys A Strong Uptake of Over A Quarter of All European
Meeting on 9 and 10 October 2024, the Select Committee took stock of how popular the new system is with users already. Today every fourth patent granted by the EPO becomes a Unitary Patent – a rate that was not expected to be achieved so early. More than half of the top 25 requesters for unitary effect come from Europe, and over a third of the requests originating in Europe are filed by SMEs, universities and public research organisations. Underscoring the importance of the Unitary Patent system for innovation in Europe, the report on the Future of European competitiveness presented last month to the European Commission by Mario Draghi (former President of the European Central Bank) encourages all EU member states to join the Unitary Patent system.
Source: https://www.epo.org/en/news-events/news/select-committee-welcomes-progress-unitary-patent
3. USPTO Terminates 3100 Patent Application Proceedings
In October 2, 2024, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued a final order terminating proceedings in roughly 3,100 patent applications for the fraudulent entry of the S-signature of a registered practitioner by someone other than the practitioner. In October 2022, the USPTO contacted a practitioner whose signature appeared on a large number of micro entity certification forms received by the agency. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the signature of the practitioner was being used by another person. Due to the improper use of a practitioner’s signature, the submission of papers for improper purposes, and the violation of the duty of candor and good faith, the USPTO has issued a final order terminating proceedings in the applications in which this conduct occurred.
4. Easier Fee Payments for Chinese Applicants to the EPO
The European Patent Office and the China National Intellectual Property Administration are pleased to announce the next phase in their joint Patent Cooperation Treaty pilot project. Starting 1 December 2024, Chinese applicants designating the EPO as their International Search Authority will be able to pay their search fees through the CNIPA to the EPO in Renminbi (Chinese Yuan), offering greater convenience. By choosing the EPO as their ISA, applicants gain accelerated access to European patent protection. Additionally, a 75% reduction in the examination fee when requesting international preliminary examination under PCT Chapter II with the EPO. No supplementary European search or translation of the PCT application are required when entering the European phase, saving both time and costs. The pilot's capacity remains limited to 3 000 applications per year, ensuring that a broad range of applicants can continue to take advantage of these benefits.
Source: https://www.cnipa.gov.cn/art/2024/10/22/art_53_195571.html
5. The JPO Concludes Symposium on Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer
The Japan Patent Office and the Institute of Science Tokyo co-hosted the Trilateral Patent Office Director and Users Meeting International Symposium: IP and Technology Transfer: Challenges and Successes with the Collaboration Framework among Academia-Industry-IP Offices on Tuesday, October 15, 2024 in Tokyo. This symposium was held with the purpose of discussing the diverse realities of intellectual property management in the process of transferring technology born within universities to the industrial sector, from the respective positions of industry, government, and academia in Japan, the U.S. and Europe. A keynote speech was given by Dr. OHTAKE, President and Chief Executive Officer of Science Tokyo, from the perspective of academia on the creation of innovation and the contributions toward solving social issues through the effective use of intellectual property. Speakers shared efforts to encourage the social implementation of academic technology through startups, and current efforts by IP management toward an innovation ecosystem.
Source: https://www.jpo.go.jp/news/ugoki/202410/2024101802.html
6. South Korea Introduces Tougher Penalties to Combat High-Tech Sector Leaks
The Korean Intellectual Property Office introduced a series of new measures aimed at strengthening South Korea’s defenses against technology leaks on Thursday October 17. These measures are designed to overcome the technology leakage in high-tech industries such as semiconductors and secondary batteries, and to strengthen global industrial competitiveness. The announcement includes leveraging patent big data analysis to detect potential leaks. KIPO also outlined stricter legal frameworks, including increased penalties for trade secret violations, which could lead to damage compensation, and criminal penalties such as imprisonment and fines. Additionally, the new measures include an expanded legal framework to cover re-leaks - leaked confidential or proprietary information that is leaked again - through foreign subsidiaries and intentional job transfers designed to facilitate leaks. A new evidence collection system was also introduced, allowing court-appointed experts to gather evidence at the scene of potential leaks and supervise witness testimonies.
7. GSK Sues Moderna for US Patent Infringement over COVID, RSV Vaccines
British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline sued Moderna in U.S. federal court in Delaware on October 15, accusing it of violating GSK patent rights in Lipid Nano Particle technology with its blockbuster COVID-19 vaccine Spikevax and RSV shot mResvia. GSK said that its patents cover technology pioneered in 2008 that provides "the foundation for Moderna's mRNA vaccine portfolio." GSK bought the rights to the inventions when it acquired part of Novartis' vaccine business in 2015.
8. Novo Nordisk Sues Apotex to Block Generic Version of Rybelsus
Novo Nordisk Inc. asked a court to block Apotex Inc. from selling a generic version of the Rybelsus diabetes drug it says infringes ten patents, according to a federal lawsuit. Apotex’s generic version of Rybelsus would infringe 10 patents Novo Nordisk owns for the semaglutide drug, according to the complaint filed Oct. 10 in the US District Court for the District of New Jersey. The patents are set to expire between 2030 and 2034.
Source: https://news.bloomberglaw.com/ip-law/novo-nordisk-sues-apotex-to-block-generic-version-of-rybelsus
9. Trina Solar Officially Confronts Runyang in the United States
On October 3rd and 4th, Jiangsu Runergy New Energy Technology Co., Ltd., RUNERGY USA INC., and RUNERGY ALABAMA INC. filed multiple reexamination requests for U.S. Patent Nos. 9722104 and 10230009, arguing that these patents should be invalid. These questioned patents do not originate from Trina Solar's own research and development but were acquired by Trina Solar from another company in February 2024. In May and September of 2024, Trina Solar filed lawsuits against Runyang in the United States, accusing Runyang of infringing these two patents.
Source: https://new.qq.com/rain/a/20241011A01XZO00
10. CALB Sues CATL for Patent Infringement as Battery Rivalry Escalates
Battery manufacturer CALB said on Oct. 18 that it has filed lawsuits in courts in China's Hubei and Jiangsu provinces against CATL and its affiliates, alleging infringement on four battery-related patents. CALB is seeking damages totaling CNY 1.007 billion in lawsuits targeting CATL, its subsidiary Sichuan Times New Energy Technology, Tesla’s Wuhan sales service company, Zeekr’s Changzhou sales arm, and Avatr’s Wuhan division. Notably, this is the first time that CALB has initiated a patent infringement suit against CATL. The allegations cover patents central to battery structure, assembly techniques, battery pack design, cooling systems, and integration technologies, including innovations in battery devices and cooling systems for liquid-cooled modular units. The largest claim within the lawsuits relates to liquid-cooled modular battery systems, with CALB seeking CNY 560 million in damages.
Source: https://finance.sina.cn/2024-10-23/detail-inctqhfr7209183.d.html?vt=4&pos=108&his=0
11. Seoul Semiconductor’s Patent Enforcement Leads to Ban of Infringing Products
Seoul Semiconductor won a patent dispute against Everlight Electronics after the European Patent Office's Board of Appeal dismissed a challenge to its LED technology. The patent dispute has spanned seven years, with Seoul winning all 16 previous lawsuits in five countries, including a 2018 ruling by a UK court. According to the October 10, 2024 judgment, Expert e-Commerce, the third largest European online retailer with roughly $14 billion in annual revenue, has been ordered to stop selling infringing products in eight European countries. It was also ordered by the UPC to retrieve and destroy infringing products. This UPC decision will result in a comprehensive sales ban against infringing products across various European countries, and fully confirm the validity of Seoul’s No-Wire patent. As a result, Seoul anticipates swift enforcement against infringers. Seoul’s No Wire technology enables LED miniaturization and improves light extraction efficiency by enhancing light reflection and current spreading. These advantages are essential for high-efficiency LEDs in multiple industries, such as LEDs for mobile phone flash, micro LED displays, automotive headlamps, and high power lighting.
12. Sega Sues Memento Mori Developer over Alleged Patent Infringements
Sega Corporation has filed a lawsuit against Japanese developer Bank of Innovation, alleging that the studio has infringed on multiple patents held by the Sonic publisher. Bank of Innovation is best known for its idle RPG Memento Mori. The publisher is seeking ¥1 billion in damages, as well as an injunction against Memento Mori and related content. Bank of Innovation said it does not believe its titles infringe on Sega's rights and will defend itself from this litigation. It is reported that the two companies were in ongoing discussions over this issue but were unable to reach an agreement, leading Sega to take legal action. The five patents in question concerns a specific system for fusing character cards of the same kind in collection games.
Source: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/sega-sues-memento-mori-developer-over-alleged-patent-infringements
