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 experts at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) have agreed to simplify the structure of the international system for classifying patents.

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.