In its recent decision, the Federal Court has confirmed that schemes are not patentable merely because they are “new and ingenious” and are implemented using a computer. While the door is not completely closed on computer implemented schemes, the patentability threshold will never be passed unless there is some innovation in the computer technology, says Jane Owen and Rebecca Currey of Bird & Bird.
GlaxoSmithKline and Novartis have agreed to a combined penalty of $4.5 million after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission accused the pharmaceutical giants of making misleading claims in marketing their Voltaren Osteo Gel and Voltaren Emulgel pain relief products.
Two Italian cheese consortiums have failed in separate bids to trade mark their respective cheeses, Gorgonzola and Asiago, with delegates ruling the trade marks were not capable of distinguishing each consortium’s products from other cheeses.
The Australian arm of global telecommunications firm BT Group has filed legal action against a former chief operating officer who jumped ship to Japanese competitor NTT.
A theatre producer facing a lawsuit by his former collaborators for stealing the script for his off-Broadway puppet show parody of the 80s TV sitcom Golden Girls has lost his own legal action against them, which alleged they defamed him and engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct by talking to a New York Times reporter about their lawsuit.
The lead applicants in seven class actions against auto manufacturers over explosive Takata airbags have criticised the courts for losing their way in ensuring justice is done, in a landmark challenge to class closure orders made in the cases.
BlueScope’s decision to hide its trade secrets has doomed its patent infringement lawsuit against South Korean rival Dongkuk Steel, with a judge dismissing the case and invalidating two of the steel giant’s patents.
The Full Federal Court has provided clarity around additional damages in patent cases by reducing the penalties liable to be paid by an Australian fencing and gate manufacturer found to have infringed a rival’s patent for a fence base.
Technology firm Globaltech Corporation has filed Federal Court proceedings against rival Reflex Instruments for selling two mining survey devices to drilling company Boart Longyear that allegedly infringe its patent.
Comments made by the director of three firms accused of pushing life insurance onto vulnerable consumers during the banking royal commission may come back to haunt him in a civil penalties proceeding brought by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.