Twitter Twang: June 30th

Here’s this morning’s Twitter Twang!

(@GilmanResearch) Michael Jackson patented a gadget to perform dance magic http://bit.ly/IxlZn

(@ptp) USPTO & the National Board of Patents & Registration of Finland Partner to Expedite Processing & Improve Patent Quality http://is.gd/1j54m

(@EuroPharmaToday) Pfizer says its open to sub $250 mil. deals and regional deals – a sea change? – Euro-Biotech Forum

@DaisytheCow) The Truth About Biotech Crops: There have been some misconceptions floating around in the internet with regard t.. http://tinyurl.com/m4uq9j

(@BiotechNews) BREAKING NEWS: Sanofi unveils R&D makeover: As promised, Sanofi-Aventis announced today that it’s overhauling… http://tinyurl.com/lro5u3

(@FiercePharma) In one of the largest patent verdicts in US history, Abbott Labs loses $1.7B Humira lawsuit to Johnson & Johnson http://is.gd/1j6el

(@acarvin) Checking out the US govt spending dashboard that was just unveiled at #pdf09: http://it.usaspending.gov/

(@whitehouse_rss) (special videos) President Obama – Your Turn: Join the National Online Discussion on Health Care… http://tr.im/qiNs

(@MedicalNews) Anti-Anxiety Drugs Raise New Fears http://bit.ly/460Vqp  (via @amvr2medwriter)

(@cafepharma) Obama-Proof: Pfizer, Bristol-Myers and Teva: TheStreet.com http://tinyurl.com/muko3b

(@Bioethics) EU to examine national opt-outs for GM crop growing http://tinyurl.com/kn8d4a

(@worldresources) Watching “Millennium Development Goals for 2015” video – http://bit.ly/11zlSb

(@pharmaguy) Pharma Marketing Conference Calendar Update: http://bit.ly/Qa1cW  Is your event listed?

(@MeganIIRRT) @futurebiopharma What are the most challenging therapeutic areas? Biggest frustrations with each? http://bit.ly/CLLI630

Photo of the Day: “Cathedral of Learning” (http://www.flickr.com/photos/neardc/2491023300/)

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Holman: Follow-on Biologics Bill Threatens Innovation By Weakening Patent Rights

Chris Holman, Professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law and author of Holman’s Biotech IP Blog, recently posted a great summary of the patent provisions in the follow-on biologics bill currently under consideration in Congress.

You can read Holman’s post here.

Twitter Twang: June 29th

I’m starting a summary of Twitter-derived biotechnology news, inspired by hardworking Twitterers. Because Twitter’s format makes it impossible to “read the news” in an easy (and traditional) fashion, I’m collecting stories of interest and posting them here.

OK, let’s get started with today’s Twitter Twang!

(@biotechRSS) FierceBiotech: Sources: Novartis in talks to buy Elan assets: http://tinyurl.com/lj4l6f

(@science_ip) RT @DJParadice Bill Gates is frustrated that his beer is warm. As a result, he applied for a patent on beer cooler. http://kl.am/11Pn

(@dcexaminer) Morning Must Reads: Los Angeles Times — Obama champions energy bill but not its tariffs: http://tinyurl.com/l36sza

(@cqpolitics) Political Wire: Daily Pulse on Health Care Politics: http://bit.ly/iLSDk

(@PharmTechEurope) Drug companies are increasingly using medical science liaisons: http://ow.ly/g3ip

(@ICISgreenblog) Blog: Weekly News Roundup: A very busy week last week with lots of bioplastic and recycling news… http://bit.ly/q2Ns2

(@essential2) Waxman-Markey cap-and-trade bill could lead to more than 25,000 job losses in the chemical industry: http://tinyurl.com/m8szaw

(@axelhorns) RT @IPStrategist @marcusmalek has a great post about the end of Ocean Tomo. Highly recommended. http://bit.ly/oGHzz

(@jhpincus) RT @Venture_Capital: Ten unconventional wisdoms for funding startups: VentureBeat: http://tinyurl.com/nfzrle

(@JNJComm) RT @fpbnursing: Commencement keynote: “Nurses are the faces of hope for health care.” J&J medical director Rick Martinez http://tr.im/q9PI

(@cafepharma) A U.S. Generics Shop Looks to India for Biotech: WSJ Online http://tinyurl.com/lvx6xs

(@Comprendia) RT @ISSCR: Over 3,000 expected to attend the Annual Meeting in Barcelona next week, making it the largest meeting for stem cell researchers.

Flickr Photo of the Day: “Innovation” (http://www.flickr.com/photos/netsrot/225836493/)

BIO IP News Weekly for June 26, 2009

This week’s BIO IP News Weekly includes an analysis of Professor John Duffy in Business Week, an essay on technology transfer and university-industry collaboration in the Scientist Magazine, updates on USPTO funding and follow-on biologics, a blogger’s look at a U.S. Senator’s struggles to defend intellectual property rights, as well as a link to the recently published 2009 OECD Biotechnology Statistics report summary.

Also, note that Managing IP is having a free webinar on green tech innovation and intellectual property next Tuesday, June 30, 2009.

BIO IP News Weekly for June 19, 2009

This week’s IP News Weekly is posted at www.bio.org/ip. This week I include a Nature Biotechnology article on scientific communications, a BBC article on river blindness, and a Heritage Foundation essay on patents.

For more information, contact Margarita Noriega at mnoriega@bio.org.

White House Picks Kappos to Lead USPTO

Yesterday the White House nominated David J. Kappos for Under Secretary of Commerce for IP and as the Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). BIO released its commendation on the nomination today:

“We believe Mr. Kappos will bring a thoughtful perspective to the Department of Commerce and the USPTO. He has a long history of industry experience, providing a point of view and insights we have always thought to be highly valuable in this position. He also has a demonstrated track record of managing a large organization, and a true appreciation for industrial innovation.

“As a prominent and respected member of the patent community, Mr. Kappos brings much goodwill to this position. We look forward to working with him and his leadership team over the coming years.

 

BIO sent a letter to the Obama Administration outlining ideas for PTO reform in December 2008.

BIO to USA Today: Patents Promote Innovation

BIO President & CEO James Greenwood published an op-ed piece in yesterday’s USA Today on how “patents promote innovation”:

Public debate over access to, and use of, genetic technology is a good thing. It requires the consideration of many factors, including coverage and cost, concerns over genetic discrimination and myriad regulatory issues.

Even so, banning patents on gene-related breakthroughs would slow biomedical innovation to a halt — taking away the hope biotechnology offers to patients suffering from debilitating diseases such as cancer, Parkinson’s and HIV/AIDS — while doing nothing to address what is really a much more complicated set of issues.

You can post a comment (we assume you have one) at USA Today, and take PatentlyBIOtech’s poll below:

Patent Docs: Falsehoods, Distortions and Outright Lies in the Gene Patenting Debate

Patent Docs blog reviewed the most repeated criticisms of the patenting of genetic materials, providing a critical hand to assist non-technical observers of the debate currently swirling around in legal, scientific, and academic circles.

The author considers the recent criticisms  a “zeitgeist” effort supported by a lack of basic scientific knowledge and an ignorance of the role of intellectual property in the process of scientific discovery, research, and development.

The most fundamental rebuttal (for this blogger) lies in the fact that the phrase “gene patenting” is a misnomer.  To read why, visit Patent Docs and read the blog post here.

Patenting Genes: NPR Talks IP with BIO

Today, June 4, 2009 at 1:00 PM ET

DC’s WAMU Radio Station (88.5 FM) or at  http://wamu.org/programs/kn/09/06/04.php#26424

The genetic material in our cells make us who we are. But since 1982, the U.S. Patent Office has issued tens of thousands of patents to private companies for gene-related products. The biotechnology industry says these patents are necessary to spur innovation. Opponents say they actually stifle science. We examine the intersection of cutting-edge genetic research and intellectual property.

Guests:

• Joshua D. Sarnoff, Professor of the Practice of Law, American University’s Washington College of Law
• Hans Sauer, Associate General Counsel for Intellectual Property, Biotechnology Industry Organization
• Shobita Parthasarathy, Co-Director, Science, Technology and Public Policy Program, Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan; author, “Building Genetic Medicine: Breast Cancer, Technology, and the Comparative Politics of Health Care” (MIT Press)