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James Nurton, London

Mark Abell, an IP partner at Field Fisher Waterhouse in London, was evacuated from the Oberoi Trident hotel in Mumbai, where he was trapped after last month's attacks. Abell, known as a specialist in franchising, was on a business trip to the city with his London colleague, corporate partner Christopher Jackson. Jackson was released from his room at about 5:00am GMT Friday and Abell about one hour later. In an email to Managing IP, the IP lawyer said he was "glad to be a free man". While trapped in his room, he had been interviewed on the BBC's Today programme. In an emotional interview, after being released, he told the presenter he was pleased to be free and paid tribute to his rescuers and the hotel staff.

Robert Abrahamsen explores the perks of the patent reexamination process

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in late October changed the test for determining patentable subject matter in the US. IP experts from four industries explain how the decision will affect your patents

Peter Ollier, Hong Kong

Eileen McDermott asks James Malackowski, founder and CEO of patent auction company, Ocean Tomo, how he got here, what's in store for the future and what the new US president should do for innovation

Recent endeavours such as the Human Genome Project have profoundly increased what we know about DNA, the blueprint for life. These efforts provide vast amounts of information regarding the genomes, or complete genetic sequences, of humans and other species. For example, genes are now understood to constitute only a small portion of the human genome, while the remaining portion is the subject of intense research. Much remains unknown about where genes begin and end, what they do and how they do it. DNA research remains robust and routinely yields new synthetic DNAs and purified naturally occurring DNAs. Patents remain vital to protecting these new DNA inventions.

In order to bring the relevant stipulations in the Patent Act into agreement with the Acts Regulating Approval of Pharmaceuticals and Pesticide Products in a clearer manner, the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office has published a new guide for applicants filing patent term extensions in accordance with Article 52 of the current Patent Law. This article stipulates that where the practice of an invention patent relating to pharmaceutical or pesticide composition or its manufacturing method is subject to regulatory approval pursuant to other laws and where it takes more than two years after the publication of the patent application to acquire such approval, the patent owner may apply for an extension of the patent term for a period of two to five years within three months from the date of issuance of the first certificate of regulatory approval.

As part of their effort to create a commercial impression linking their brand with the qualities or reputation commonly associated with a particular city or country, companies often attempt to use the desired geographic location as part of their brand name. However, when a trade mark consists of a term that has geographic significance but the products offered under the mark do not originate from such geographic location, the mark may not be eligible for registration in the United States and therefore not entitled to the protections afforded by a US Certificate of Registration.