The May issue of the Bloomsbury IP/IT Law Briefing is now available for subscribers.
This month’s IP/IT Law Briefing starts with the judgment of the Supreme Court in Lifestyle Equities CV & Anor v Ahmed & Anor [2024] UKSC 17, in which the Court reversed the Court of Appeal in a case concerning liability for trade mark infringement.
Following an expedited appeal, in Sandoz AG & Ors v Bayer Intellectual Property GmbH & Ors [2024] EWCA Civ 562, the Court of Appeal upheld a first instance finding that Bayer’s Swiss-claim patent for a once-daily dose of rivaroxaban for treating a thromboembolic disorder was invalid for lack of inventive step.
In the High Court, Mr Justice Mellor published his written judgment in the case concerning Dr Craig Wright’s claim to be Satoshi Nakamoto, the inventor of Bitcoin (Crypto Open Patent Alliance v Craig Steven Wright [2024] EWHC 1198 (Ch)). As the judge had stated following the conclusion of the trial, he found that Wright was not Satoshi based on ‘overwhelming’ evidence.
In Payone Gbmh v Logo [2024] EWHC 981 (KB), Mr Justice Saini considered the balance between free speech and the principle of open justice on one hand with the protection of confidential information on the other hand.
On the international front, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) member states approved a new treaty on intellectual property, genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, following a diplomatic conference in Geneva from May 13 to 24.
The Grand Chamber of the EU Court of Justice (CJEU) has held a hearing in a case that could transform patent litigation in Europe and beyond (Case C-339/22 BSH Hausgeräte).
Romania has ratified the Agreement on the Unified Patent Court (UPC) and several new UPC judges have been appointed.
Finally, the Grand Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) gave a rare judgment on a trade mark application that was contrary to accepted principles of morality.