Related insights: Life Sciences and Pharmaceuticals
Changes to UK Intellectual Property Office address for service rules
04 Mar 2024
On 1 January 2024, the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) updated their rules governing address for service (AFS) requirements for comparable UK trade mark and design registrations. Guidance on the changes can be found here. Briefly, if any contentious proceedings are lodged on or after 1 January 2024 against a comparable UK trade mark or design, appointment of a UK, Gibraltar or Channel Island address for service is required.
Room for international growth in West Yorkshire's healthcare and life sciences sectors
07 Feb 2024
A roundtable focused on the potential for international trade and investment within healthcare and life sciences in West Yorkshire has highlighted the vast room for growth in the region.
International law firm Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) co-hosted a presentation and discussion at its Leeds office with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and the Hong Kong Trade and Development Council, with expanding international investment and trade in the region the key topic on the agenda.
International law firm Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) co-hosted a presentation and discussion at its Leeds office with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and the Hong Kong Trade and Development Council, with expanding international investment and trade in the region the key topic on the agenda.
Regulating the Internet of “vulnerable” Things in the chemical processing industry space
17 Jan 2023
Opportunities and challenges for the North East’s chemical processing industry underpinned the NEPIC Digitalisation and Cyber Security Conference in December 2022. The conference focused on how digital solutions can accelerate growth and create business opportunities within the region’s chemical sector.
Brexit and patents
02 Jul 2021
As the European patent regime is not an instrument of the European Union ("EU"), it has remained largely unaffected by Brexit. The European Patent Convention 2000 and its various protocols are not part of the accumulated body of EU law. The current membership of the European Patent Office numbers 38 countries, which is a far greater number than the current 27 member states of the EU. The membership of the United Kingdom ("UK") to the Patent Cooperation Treaty also remains unaffected.
Brexit and exhaustion of rights
02 Jul 2021
Parallel trade is the import (and export) of genuine goods protected by intellectual property ("IP") rights, and occurs where the IP rights are said to have been 'exhausted' – where the goods are put on the relevant market by, or with the consent of, the IP-right owner.
Brexit and designs
18 May 2021
Since 1 January 2021, the scope of protection afforded by registered Community designs ("RCDs") has not extended to the United Kingdom ("UK"). However, each owner of a RCD that was registered and published before or on 31 December 2020 has been granted a comparable registered and enforceable IP right in the UK, known as the 're-registered design' – hereafter "RRD" – which came into force automatically and free of charge on 1 January 2021.
Brexit and trade marks
18 May 2021
Since 1 January 2021, the scope of protection afforded by European Union ("EU") trade mark registrations has not extended to the United Kingdom ("UK"). However, each owner of an EU trade mark ("EUTM") that was registered before or on 31 December 2020 has been granted a comparable registered and enforceable intellectual property ("IP") right in the UK, known as the 'comparable trade mark (EU)' – hereafter "CM(EU)" – which came into force automatically and free of charge on 1 January 2021.
WBD advises Piper on multi-million pound investment intonatural health supplements brand
26 Apr 2021
Law firm Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) has advised longstanding client Piper, the leading specialist investor in fast-growing consumer brands, on its £5m investment into Wild Nutrition, a natural health supplements brand.
Womble Bond Dickinson advises on investment in Newcastle life sciences pioneer
19 Apr 2021
Womble Bond Dickinson has advised Mercia Fund Managers and Enterprise Ventures on the recent £5.25 million investment in Newcells Biotech, the Newcastle-based cell technology business. The Mercia-managed funds which participated in the fundraising included Northern VCTs and the North East Venture Fund, which is supported by the European Regional Development Fund and managed by Mercia. Further funding was provided by the North East Innovation Fund, managed by Northstar Ventures.
WBD acts on the sale of pharma business Arcinova to Quotient Sciences
09 Feb 2021
WBD has advised Northumberland-based pharmaceutical and biotechnology company Arcinova on the sale of the business to Quotient Sciences.
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