• No back-peddling on prosecution disclaimers (Azurity v. Alkem, Fed. Cir. Case No. 23-1977)

    http://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2025/04/no-back-peddling-on-prosecution.html In Azurity v. Alkem  the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) affirmed the District of Delaware’s ruling that Alkem’s antibiotic formulation did not infringe patent claims owned by Azurity. The CAFC found that Azurity clearly and unmistakably disclaimed the presence of a key ingredient from the claimed formulation during... Continue reading

     
  • Update: Reuters v Ross – trial postponed pending appeal petition

    http://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2025/04/update-reuters-v-ross-trial-postponed.html The IPKat recently covered (see here) the decision of the Delaware District Court (the Court) in Reuters v ROSS (Case 1:20-cv-00613, ECF 770), in which it held that a fair use defence was unsuccessful on a summary judgment motion for copyright infringement.  The trial, which was due to take place... Continue reading

     
  • Saturday Sundries

    http://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2025/04/saturday-sundries.html While many people are enjoying some time off for the Easter holidays, the IPKat has been busy hunting for eggs news and opportunities. This Kat is pleased to bring you the latest updates below. Antony Taubman Honorary Professor Inaugural Lecture Happy Easter to all celebrating this weekend!Photo by Nati via... Continue reading

     
  • The global reach of trade mark law?

    http://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2025/04/the-global-reach-of-trade-mark-law.html Can a trade mark owner prevent an infringer from stocking the infringing goods in a country, in which the trade mark is not protected, if those goods are meant to be sold in the country of protection? This question is at the heart of a reference for a preliminary... Continue reading

     
  • Never Too Late: If you missed the IPKat last week!

    http://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2025/04/never-too-late-if-you-missed-ipkat-last.html Here is a quick recap of what you might have missed! Copyright Former PermaKat Nicola Searle (Goldsmiths, University of London) compared the current copyright debates to those of the 2010s, as well as the substitutability of copyright works. Katfriend Angela Chung (Berkeley Law) analyzed the controversies of the recent Studio Ghibli... Continue reading

     
  • Mercedes’s off-road vehicle illustration insufficiently distinctive for EU trade mark registration

    http://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2025/04/mercedess-off-road-vehicle-illustration.html On 19 March 2025, the EU General Court rendered a decision regarding the distinctiveness of a figurative sign for which Mercedes-Benz Group AG (applicant) had sought registration as an EU trade mark. The Court upheld the Fifth Board of Appeal (BoA) finding that the sign should be refused registration... Continue reading

     
  • Beware of boilerplate: Practical lessons for patent drafting from G1/24 (Claim interpretation)

    http://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2025/04/beware-of-boilerplate-practical-lessons.html Following the high profile hearing last month, we are now waiting for the written decision of the Enlarged Board of Appeal (EBA) in G 1/24. IPKat readers can catch-up on the full background to the case here. There is also still plenty to discuss while we wait.  G 1/24... Continue reading

     
  • Sunday Surprises

    http://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2025/04/sunday-surprises.html The IPKat proudly presents the Kat news of the past week. Courses 30 June – 18 July 2025: Licensing Transactions in Intellectual Property Interested in how to navigate technologies and negotiate transactions relating to AI, blockchain, biotechnology and other emerging technology? Then join an intense, practice-oriented 3-week summer program... Continue reading

     
  • AG Campos advises CJEU to rule that joint ownership of copyright remains within the remit of national law, not EU law. But is that (still) right?

    http://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2025/04/ag-campos-advises-cjeu-to-rule-that.html Claude Chabrol, director of inter alia Le Beau Serge Joint ownership of IP rights: is it an area governed by national or rather EU law? More specifically, when there is more than one copyright owner, does EU law have anything to say regarding how each of them can exercise... Continue reading

     
  • Driscoll’s strawberry plant patent infringement claim finally squashed

    http://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2025/04/driscolls-strawberry-plant-patent.html The long-running claim about infringement of Driscoll’s strawberry plant patents seems to have come to an end. Last month’s judgment from the US District Court for the Eastern D. California was unsealed on Monday, finding that Driscoll’s failed to provide enough evidence to continue their case against California Berry Cultivars, LLC. ... Continue reading