One of the important new antibiotics discovered and developed by pharmaceutical companies in the past few years is Rifampicin and its relative Rifamycin. These potent antibiotics remain key tools in fighting off serious infection. Their story begins with a soil sample taken from a pine forest on the French Riviera in 1957 that was then studied …
My latest post here at Innovation Fatigue lamented the actions of the USPTO in their apparent war on patents involving natural products. New information makes the story even more troubling than before, indicating that more than just judicial error and bureaucratic blindness was involved. The steps taken appear much more deliberate and political than that, …
America’s Anti-Patent Revolution: Stoking the Engines of Innovation Fatigue Read More »
In response to recent court cases, the USPTO has dramatically revised its approach to dealing with a wide variety of patents. Its new guidelines to patent examiners on subject matter eligibility for inventions involving natural products seem to go way beyond the legal decisions on which they are allegedly based, adding extremely high barriers to patentability. …
Excluding Natural Products from Patent Protection? Read More »
Breaking news from the Province of Shandong in northern China: A Chinese paper company, Quanlin Paper (also called “Tralin Paper”) has successfully used its portfolio of patents and trademarks to secure a huge loan of 7.9 billion RMB (about $1.3 billion). Potentially significant story for those tracking IP and innovation in China. The story was …
Chinese Company Relies on IP to Gain Giant Loan: Lessons from Quanlin (Tralin) Paper Read More »
A few years ago, K2 Energy, an innovative start-up with a breakthrough in smart batteries offering several performance advantages over existing battery technologies in the market, was on the verge of finally commercializing their technology. They had just won the support of significant investors, and over $20 million in funding was about to be received. …
Generous Government Help: Innovation Fatigue Lessons from A123 and K2 Read More »
Billionaire Mark Cuban, after complaining about patent lawyers making too much money, condemned the US patent system for blocking innovation. He and some other wealthy elites are troubled by US patent rights and would like to dismantle large parts of the system. This is a growing and troubling trend. The voices in the tech community …
Abandon the US Patent System? Sure, If Killing Innovation is Your Goal Read More »
After a charming 10-day trip to New Zealand, several things stood out in my mind: the overwhelming beauty of its landscapes and vegetation, the abundance of resources its islands have, the cleanness of the air and water, the friendliness and resourcefulness of its people, and the difficulty of getting basic Internet in an advanced nation. …
New Zealand: Innovation Fatigue and the Internet Read More »
One of the most serious factors contributing to innovation fatigue in the U.S. and many other nations can be the failure of government to protect and enforce property rights, including intellectual property rights. When the fruits of invention can be plucked by anyone without benefit to the inventor, when the risks and costs of innovation …
Now the Fed Joins the Attack on Intellectual Property Rights Read More »
Dave Galland’s recent column at Casey Research discusses the malaise that has swept Portugal, resulting in utter discouragement across the rising generation. In spite of the beauty and natural richness of Portugal, the entrepreneurs and innovators of the future tend to be looking to leave as quickly as possible. What has gone so wrong? Casey …
Innovation Fatigue in Portugal: The Burden of Eurozone Bureaucrats Read More »
On Sept. 16, President Obama signed the Leahy-Smith “America Invents Act” which supposedly will strengthen innovation and improve our patent system. It’s a radical change in our patent system–one that seems to have been drafted by people who don’t fully understand patents or innovation. Does this bill promote innovation as advertized? What about that 15% …