GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION

BANARAS SAREES AND BROCADES GET GI

Banaras sarees and brocades have acquired the geographical indication (GI) status on 4 September 2009. Sarees or brocades made outside the six identified districts of Uttar Pradesh cannot be legally sold under the name of Banaras sari and brocade.

GI identifies a product as originating in a certain region where a given quality or characteristic of the product is essentially attributable to its geographical origin.
Chennai-based Geographical Indication Registry has issued the GI certificate for Banaras sarees which are famous for intricate designs of silk and gold threads. This GI status would disallow the duplication of the product and will help producers to increase their market share. Unctad India supported the weavers and artisans in seeking GI certificate.

PATENT

SPANISH COMPANY'S BIO-PIRACY BID FOILED BY INDIA

The recently created Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL), which has documented over two lakh medical formulations of Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani to save them from piracy, has helped India to foil a bio-piracy bid in a record three weeks time. The European Patent Office's (EPO) prior "intent to grant patent" order to a Spanish company Perdix group SL, on the use of melon extract to cure vitiligo (leucoderma) has been cancelled now.

Almost 65 million people globally are affected by vitiligo, a disease that causes skin de-pigmentation. Michael Jackson was perhaps the world's most famous vitiligo patient. Indian hakims have been using melon extract to cure this disease for hundreds of years under India's ancient Unani system of medicine.

The patent in this case was for a cream that uses vegetal ingredients such as melon, bay rum and lemon, which on application on the white patches resulted in regeneration of melanocytes. EPO decided to grant the patent for the cream on June 4, 2009 and India provided evidence to EPO on July 8, 2009 from books like Quarabadeen Najmul Ghani, Khazain-al-Adviyah and Muheet-e-Azam by Indian hakims Mohammad Najmul Ghani Khan and Mohammad Azam Khan, which mention about melon's anti-vitiligo properties and that it has been used in India for over 1,200 years. EPO cancelled its intention to grant patent to the Spanish company on July 27, 2009.

BIOGEN GETS PATENT EXTENSION ON MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS DRUG

Biogen Idec Inc. has received a 13-year patent extension on its biggest profit making drug for multiple sclerosis drug - Avonex.

Important patents dealing with the production of Avonex are listed to expire in 2013. However in the regulatory filing, Biogen has received a patent for the use of this drug in treating a viral condition, disease, cancer or tumor until September 2026. The use of Avonex as a multiple sclerosis drug is also included in the method of use patent.

Sales of Avonex reached $591.2 million during the most recent quarter.

RZN NUTRACEUTICALS RECEIVES USPTO'S NOTICE OF ALLOWANCE FOR PROPRIETARY HERBAZORB ABSORPTION AND DELIVERY SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY

RZN Nutraceuticals, Inc., a leading developer of proven effective herbal products for severe arthritis and migraines has received a Notice of Allowance from the USPTO for the firm's absorption and delivery system process methodology patent application.

The technology named HerbaZorb is used in the manufacture of two of the firm's most popular herbal products, Arthri-Zen Relief® and Migra-Zen Relief® PLUS capsules. The use of this preparation method ensures that the herbal supplements are absorbed with full potency intact.

Usually only 10 to 20 percent of vitamins and minerals taken orally in tablet form are actually absorbed into the bloodstream. HerbaZorb protects valuable phytochemicals of herbs and herbal extracts from being digested before entering the bloodstream, which is a significant advantage to producers and consumers of herbal products.

MEDTRONIC SETTLES PATENT DISPUTE

Medtronic, Inc. has settled a patent lawsuit which it had initiated against W.L. Gore & Associates in 2006 for patent infringement of selected patents in Medtronic`s Jervis and Wiktor patent families. Medtronic expects monetary gains in the company`s second fiscal quarter ending Oct. 30, 2009, in relation with the settlement. Detailed terms of the settlement agreement were not disclosed.

The last of patents in the Jervis patent family, which is scheduled to expire in2018, cover the use of certain self-expanding medical devices made of nitinol, which is a shape-memory metal alloy commonly used in medical device applications, including Medtronic`s own transcatheter coronary heart valve program.

TRADEMARK

NESTLE SUED BY WEIGHT WATCHERS OVER ICE CREAM TRADEMARK CLAIMS

The world's largest food producer Nestle was sued by Weight Watchers International Inc. claiming that Nestle's frozen-food packaging infringes the weight control company's trademarks.

Nestle and its Dreyer's ice cream unit's Skinny Cow brands are accused of inappropriately displaying the Weight Watchers trademark on Web sites and packaging of diet frozen foods and desserts. The products also infringe Weight Watchers' "points" weight-loss system trademark, according to the complaint.

Nestle's Lean Cuisine and Skinny Cow brands are aimed at weight and health-conscious consumers. Nestle is unlawfully benefiting from the trademark infringement by improper association with Weight Watchers. Weight Watchers seeks damages and a court order blocking the infringement.

GOOGLE GETS A DESIGN PATENT FOR ITS GUI

The USPTO has issued a design patent to Google that covers the ornamental design for a graphical user interface [GUI]. Design patents only cover ornamental designs rather than technological developments and thus have limited scope. The USPTO has been granting design patent protection for screen shots and icons for many years.

Google indicates that it is also claiming trademark protection for portions of the layout in addition to the design patent.

Google functions by implementing the fair use doctrines of copyright and trademark laws and has been supporting open access of copyrighted works Design patents remain in force for 14-years from the date of issue, so in consequence, Google's design patent is set to expire on Sept 1, 2023.