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The Singapore Patents Act was amended on July 1 2004. The amendments have brought about various changes to the search and examination options available to applicants using the PCT route. The options available for applications with filing dates both before and after July 1 2004 are outlined below.

By their nature, life science companies are among the more IP-dependent businesses in the corporate world. Any transactions, therefore, will require a more thorough due diligence than is the norm. Paul M Booth and Leslie Mooi outline 10 things you should know about such a company before deciding to invest in, or acquire, it

According to Regulation 1768/92/EEC supplementary protection certificates (SPCs) can be granted for novel medicines. They are intended to compensate for the reduced effective lifetime of patents covering such medicines.

India's Minister for Commerce & Industry has formed a Technical Expert Committee to study two critical issues that Parliament did not consider when it passed the Patents (Amendment) Act 2005. The Expert Committee has been asked to consider the patentability of new chemical entities and micro-organisms. If it suggests that amendments should be made to the law in relation to these two areas, changes will be incorporated into the new legislation.

New rules on criminal thresholds should make it easier for prosecutors to bring charges against IP infringers. But as the authorities struggle to manage a mounting workload, IP owners should consider taking the law into their own hands and launching private criminal prosecutions, explains Gordon Gao

On March 4, the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs announced a proposal known as the Intellectual Property Rights Strategic Modernization Plan, which was developed in close co-operation with the EU. Covering every aspect of IP rights, including marketing and the legal framework, the blueprint aims to improve Malaysia's capacity to enforce IP rights properly and to sanction any IP infringements effectively. Plans include developing special courts to hear IP disputes, and training lawyers and judges in IP issues. The Ministry expects the plan will bring Malaysia's IP infrastructure quickly in line with that found in countries such as the UK and Japan.

Last month, I wrote about how the internet has changed the way we practise law. Other technological advancements also have changed the way we practise. In particular, technology has changed the way we conduct discovery in major IP cases and the way we try those cases.

The attention to branding and the importance of trade marks has become a reality in the Middle East and, more specifically, the UAE. This includes brand owners' awareness of the role their brands can play in revenue generation and it is also reflected in the approach to registrability being adopted by the various trade mark registries in the region. One particular aspect relates to new categories of trade marks being reviewed for allowance for the first time. This includes colour combinations, but also a formerly difficult area: character representation registration.

A company in Singapore that imports and distributes healthcare and lifestyle-related products, OTO Bodycare (OTO), recently won its trade mark infringement and passing off suit against a businessman, Hiew Keat Foong, in a case concerning electrical foot massage machines.

In July 2004, the Beijing Administration for Industry and Commerce (AIC) issued a notice banning certain markets in Beijing (notorious for selling counterfeit clothing and accessories) from selling any goods bearing the brands Louis Vuitton, Prada, Chanel and Burberry. Any goods found there bearing any of these four brands would be deemed counterfeits on the assumption that any genuine versions would only be sold through exclusive outlets. Repeat offenders would be required to leave the market, and the authorities threatened to sanction the market owners if the rules were not followed.