China IP Forum to Bring Third Patent Amendment Face-to-Face with Biotechnology Concerns

Emerging markets, particularly the China market, have become a strategic area for pharmaceutical and chemical companies and law firms. China’s lawmakers adopted third revision of the law recently, which will bring a number of substantial changes to the Chinese patent system.

The third amendment of Chinese patent law was recently passed and will become effective October 1, 2009. The amendment includes a number of  changes  of particular concern  to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, such as foreign filing license requirement, genetic disclosure requirement, granting compulsory licensing, etc. 

How will the third amendment of patent law impact China’s role an active participant in biotechnology innovation? This August, concerned observers will get a chance to ask the Chinese Patent Office (SIPO) themselves at the 2nd International Pharmaceutical and Chemical IP Forum, August 5-8, 2009 in Beijing. The 1st Forum in 2006 was endorsed and supported by SIPO. This time around, SIPO Commissioner, Tian Li Pu, will chair, with the Chinese Intellectual Property Society (CIPS) as co-organizer. The forum will provide an opportunity for the biotechnology community interact and network with Chinese government officials, representatives from China’s chemical and pharmaceutical industries, representatives from Chinese academia and IP attorneys from China , and facilitate an understanding of the needed checks and balances in a health, robust national intellectual property system.

China IP Forum: www.chinaipforum.net
SIPO official site http://www.sipo.gov.cn/sipo2008/ztzl/hylt/yyyhggflt/ (Chinese)

Sunny Wang is Head, Patent Search Group and Patent Agent at sanofi-aventis.

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