Intellectual property

Nokia is to give away some of its intellectual property for free, in a scheme set up to recycle unused ideas and innovations to other Finnish companies.

GlaxoSmithKline is to place over 500 granted patents, and over 300 pending applications, into a pool to help others to develop medicines for neglected diseases.

International trademark activity remained robust in 2008 with the World International Property Organisation (WIPO) receiving a record 42,075 applications.

Four of Europe’s leading micro and nanotechnology research bodies are reaching across national boundaries to create a single arm for grants and spin-outs.

Everyone’s strapped for cash – except pharma. But the latest spending spree is no more of a fix for expiring patents than botox is for ageing skin, writes Nuala Moran.

The World Intellectual Property Organisation is to align its programmes, resources and structures with a new set of goals.

The Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation has appointed Benoît Battistelli as its next chairman.