-IANS The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed Swiss pharmaceutical chain Novartis AG's petition seeking patent protection for its anti-cancer drug, Glivec (Imatinib mesylate). The apex court bench of Justices Aftab Alam and Ranjana Prakash Desai dismissed with cost Novartis' plea challenging the Intellectual Property Appellate Board's decision declining the plea for patent of the drug that is used in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia and malignant gastrointestinal stromal tumours. The patent...

-The Times of India The free trade agreement that European Union is pushing India to sign could put an end to India's status as the pharmacy of the developing providing affordable medicines, especially HIV drugs to countries like Brazil, Thailand, South Africa, Zimbabwe and several others. The negotiations with EU are on at a feverish pace this week in Brussels even before the parliamentary standing committee looking into the free trade...

-The Hindu Justice Prabha Sridevan’s judgment permitting the production and sale of a generic version of a cancer drug is a victory for patients. It posits the public interest, especially in matters of health care, right at the heart of Intellectual Property rights in India Monday was a remarkable day for cancer patients in India. To them, the country said — “we care.” I am talking about the astounding decision by Justice...

-The Hindu Bayer's plea dismissed by the Intellectual Property Appellate Board The Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) on Monday upheld the grant of compulsory licence (CL) to the Hyderabad-based Natco Pharma Limited, a generic drug maker, to produce and market Nexavar, a patented cancer drug of multinational pharma major Bayer Corporation. The order will pave the way for reduction in the prices of costly life saving drugs. Disposing an appeal filed by Bayer...

-The Business Standard Chennai: The Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) today upheld a compulsory licence issued by the Controller of Patents to Hyderabad-based Natco Pharma Ltd, a generic drug maker, to manufacture and sell a cancer drug of Bayer Corp in India. IPAB, however, made changes in the licence order by increasing the royalty payment to Bayer Corp for Nexavar, used to treat liver and kidney cancer, from six per cent to...