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The Colombian Patent Office denied to grant a patent on an application filed by Pfizer Inc directed to a product known as "Viagra" , whose chemical name is pyrazolepyrimidone. The reason for this decision was that the application was trying to protect a new use of a known product. About the same time, the Peruvian Patent Office granted a patent to a corresponding patent application for the same subject matter.

Pre-launch patent searches can be costly and time-consuming. Andrew Inglis and Michael Molineaux examine whether they are really necessary in the UK, and compare the situation with other jurisdictions

MP3.com receives Universal condemnation

Asia-Pacific

The conditions for obtaining a patent registration in any country of the Andean Community are: novelty (not in the state of the art), inventive level (non-obviousness) and industrial application. Article 2 of Andean Decision 344 (enforceable in Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and Colombia) sets out the conditions for novelty which have given rise to discussions in view of the lack of clarity of its writing.

Jay Walker, already godfather to one of the most famous patents ever, could be on the verge of further controversy. The founder of Priceline.com has been testing a new business method which could dramatically increase the profits of fast-food restaurants. James Nurton reports

The Registered Designs Bill was introduced in Parliament on June 30 2000 and subsequently passed on August 25 2000 as the Industrial Designs Act 2000 ("the new Act" ) . The Implementing Rules however have yet to be published.

Australia A L 1 (3) Griffith Hack Solicitors/Griffith Hack Sydney ? ? 2 (1) Davies Collison Cave/Davies Collison Cave Solicitors Sydney ? ? 3 (2) Spruson & Ferguson/Sprusons Solicitors Sydney ? ? 4 (7) Phillips Ormonde & Fitzpatrick Melbourne 5 (5) Watermark Hawthorn ? 6 (6) Freehills/Freehills Carter Smith Beadle Melbourne ? ? 7 (4) McMaster Oberin Arthur Robinson Hedderwicks/Arthur Robinson &Hedderwicks Melbourne ? ? 8 (-) Callinan Lawrie Kew ? 9 (-) Blake Dawson Waldron Melbourne ? 10 (-) Wray & Associates Perth ?

The Law no 255 on the protection of new plant varieties entered in force on April 1 1999. This law provided for a system of protection of new plant varieties based on variety patents and it repealed the provisions on plant varieties enclosed in the Law no 64/1991 on patents of inventions.

Canada A L 1 (1) Smart & Biggar/Fetherstonhaugh & Co Ottawa ? ? 2 (2) Gowling Lafleur Henderson Ottawa ? ? 3 (5) Ridout & Maybee Toronto ? ? 4 (9) Blake Cassels & Graydon Toronto ? ? 5 (4) Swabey Ogilvy Renault/Ogilvy Renault Montreal ? ? 6 (7) Bereskin & Parr Toronto ? ? 7 (-) MBM & Co Ottawa ? ? 8 (-) MacRae & Co Ottawa ? ? 9 (8) Deeth Williams Wall Toronto ? ? 10 (-) Ade & Company Winnipeg ? ?