Intellectual Property Rights

41 Canadian Experts Request Amendment to Schedule 1 of the Patent Act to include COVID-19 vaccines

Posted on by Arianna Schouten

On April 27th, a letter signed by 41 Canadian experts was sent to the Prime Minister of Canada, the Minister of Innovation, Science & Industry, and the Minister of Health. The letter requests the amendment of Schedule 1 of the… Continue Reading →

Fissures on intellectual property, C-TAP and transparency emerge in WHO local production negotiations

Posted on by Thiru

On 4 December 2020, Ethiopia submitted a Zero Draft resolution to the World Health Organization (WHO) on Strengthening Local Production of Medicines and Other Health Technologies to Improve Access – WHO Resolution on Strengthening Local Production of Medicines and Other… Continue Reading →

$1.3 Billion Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine Development Contract Contains Broad Redactions Relating to Public’s Rights in Inventions

Posted on by Kathryn Ardizzone

On March 31, 2020, KEI received a copy of the contract between Johnson & Johnson (“J&J”) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the development of J&J’s COVID-19 vaccine.The contract, which is now valued at $1.3 billion,… Continue Reading →

License to NIH Spike Protein Technology Needed in COVID-19 Vaccines Demonstrates “Available to the Public on Reasonable Terms” Requirement

Posted on by Kathryn Ardizzone

A March 21, 2021 New York Times article on vaccine access discusses how a technology invented and owned by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is necessary to make several COVID-19 vaccines. The invention mentioned by the Times, titled Prefusion… Continue Reading →

Canada based Biolyse Pharma Seeks to Manufacture COVID-19 Vaccines for Low-Income Countries, may test Canada’s compulsory licensing for export law

Posted on by Arianna Schouten

On March 11th 2021, Biolyse Pharma (“Biolyse”) issued a statement publicly indicating their capacity to manufacture a COVID-19 vaccine and their intent to apply for a compulsory license in Canada. Biolyse is a Canadian manufacturer of cancer drugs based out… Continue Reading →

Hungarian compulsory license for remdesivir raises a stir with BIO, PhRMA and the US Chamber of Commerce

Posted on by Thiru

Whilst TRIPS Council deliberations in 2020 witnessed some lively deliberations on the nature of legislative amendments to Hungary’ special legal order (State of Danger) to enable the provision of a “compulsory licence regime for public health purposes”, Hungary’s recent decision… Continue Reading →