Intellectual Property UK

  • March 03, 2026

    Roche Gives Up On Bid To Patent Cancer Fusion Gene Tool

    European officials have revoked Roche's patent over a process for detecting hybrid genes associated with certain cancers after the pharmaceutical giant said it "no longer approved" of the text, handing an inadvertent win to an anonymous opponent.

  • March 03, 2026

    AI Music Co. Loses Bid For UK Patent Over Software Rule

    The U.K. Intellectual Property Office has rejected a patent application filed by AI music company DAACI, ruling that the company's digital music generation invention should not receive patent protections as it was a "program for a computer."

  • March 03, 2026

    Philips Axes Sleep Apnea Patent At UPC After Failing At EPO

    Philips persuaded the Unified Patent Court on Tuesday to void a U.S. medical technology company's patent for a device that treats sleep apnea, succeeding second time around after falling short at the European Patent Office.

  • March 03, 2026

    Energy Data Co. Settles Supply Cutoff Fight With Startup

    An energy data supplier owned by a consortium of British power companies and an energy startup have settled the dispute that erupted after the data supplier cut off the startup for allegedly passing on data to third parties.

  • March 03, 2026

    Wrigley Gum Loses Bid To Nix Rival's 'LifeSavers'-Like Candy

    Candy maker Wrigley has lost its bid to nix a rival's patent for a candy offering a "multi-flavor experience," after European officials ruled that the Mars unit's 16-year-old gummies didn't make the rival's two-layered candy obvious to make.

  • March 03, 2026

    Google Hit With Cloud Computing Patent Claim In UK

    A Virginia-based tech business has told a London court that Google's cloud computing technology infringes its data processing patent, adding to its parallel claim against Amazon that hinges on the same patent.

  • March 02, 2026

    Total Electric Is Told Breach Claims Need More Specificity

    A London judge has ruled that Total Electric must redraft its breach claims against former business partner Nortek if it wants to rely more heavily on a 2017 agreement, after earlier arguments based on a 2010 deal failed.

  • March 02, 2026

    Philips' Computer Chip Patent Invalidated In German Case

    Germany's Federal Patent Court has invalidated Philips' already-expired patent covering a kind of circuitry for computer chips, ruling that the technology was not inventive when the Dutch company filed for protections.

  • March 02, 2026

    BrewDog Sold To US Cannabis Biz Tilray For £33M

    U.S. medical cannabis company Tilray Brands Inc. said Monday that it has bought the brand and intellectual property of Scotland's BrewDog out of administration, in a £33 million ($44 million) deal that will not benefit equity holders in the struggling brewer.

  • March 02, 2026

    Biotech Roquefort To Buy Cancer Drug License For £32M

    Biotechnology company Roquefort confirmed Monday that it has conditionally acquired the license for a "highly promising" experimental cancer treatment drug for an initial consideration of about £31.9 million ($43 million).

  • March 02, 2026

    Use Of Orange Not Enough To Set 'EasyHotel' TM Apart

    European Union officials have refused to let easyGroup register a trademark for "easyHotel," ruling that the color orange is commonly found in hotel decor and therefore is not directly recognizable to the low-cost giant's branding.

  • March 02, 2026

    Shein Fights To Withhold List Of Top Suppliers In Temu Battle

    Shein asked a London appeals court on Monday to give it a chance to overturn an order compelling it to hand over a list of its top suppliers to Temu in a battle over photo copyright and alleged anticompetitive conduct.

  • March 02, 2026

    GSK Unit Loses Appeal Bid For 3D Purple Inhaler TM

    European appellate officials have denied Glaxo Group's application for a 3D-shaped trademark of an inhaler, ruling that shoppers would associate the purple color with its ingredients rather than commercial origin as color use was already widespread. 

  • March 02, 2026

    UK Record Labels Say US Rap Duo $uicideboy$ Infringed IP

    Two British record labels have told a London court that U.S. rap duo $uicideboy$ infringed their copyright by sampling music from movie soundtrack composer Mica Levi without permission.

  • February 27, 2026

    Gowling Wins Access To Docs In Ongoing UPC Pharma Feud

    The Unified Patent Court has allowed law firm Gowling WLG to see pleadings from Boehringer and Zentiva's dispute concerning a fibrosis drug, even though the underlying case is still ongoing.

  • February 27, 2026

    UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

    This past week in London has seen Linklaters sue a shipping company, high-street clothing giant Urban Outfitters hit with an intellectual property claim, Ithaca Energy sue rival Chrysaor, and cabaret club magnate Alex Proud face legal action with his nightclubs in financial turmoil.

  • February 27, 2026

    BBC, FT Want To Strike Licensing Deals With AI Developers

    The BBC and the Financial Times are among a coalition of major British news brands that have joined forces with the goal of establishing licensing frameworks for artificial intelligence developers to use their content.

  • February 27, 2026

    Trade Laws Not Guide For Regional IP Rights, EU Court Says

    A European Union court has ruled that definitions of goods contained in the bloc's customs regime are not a guide when deciding whether certain items qualify for intellectual property protections over regional produce, in a dispute over Mongolian cashmere.

  • February 27, 2026

    Zaha Hadid Co. Wins Right To End Trademark Deal

    Zaha Hadid's architectural company can terminate a deal to use trademarks signed before her death in 2016, after an appeals court held Friday that the licensing agreement was not intended to "lock the parties together forever."

  • February 26, 2026

    Nokia Submits To UK Court's Role In Paramount Patent Feud

    Nokia said Thursday it has agreed to let a London judge set global terms for a license allowing Paramount and Warner Bros. to use its video coding patents, backing down from its earlier challenge to the U.K. court's jurisdiction.

  • February 26, 2026

    German Court Rejects 'Fridays For Future' TM Application

    The German Federal Patent Court has refused a German company's application to register a trademark for the climate activist slogan "Fridays For Future," holding that the bid for the backdated trademark application was inadmissible.

  • February 26, 2026

    Philips TM For Razor Grip Pattern Slashed At EUIPO

    European officials have rejected Philips' bid to register a collection of dots as a position trademark on its electric shavers and hair clippers, ruling that the spattering of superellipses above the power button wouldn't catch people's eye despite the consumer tech giant's claims.

  • February 26, 2026

    Freshfields Guides Asahi Kasei Unit In €780M Biopharma Deal

    Japanese conglomerate Asahi Kasei Corp. said Thursday it has agreed to buy biopharmaceutical company Aicuris for €780 million ($920 million) cash to fuel the German company's research and development efforts, in a deal steered by Freshfields LLP and Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP.

  • February 26, 2026

    Louis Theroux's Co. Beats 'Alien Autopsy' Copyright Claim

    A court dismissed on Thursday a movie director's claim that Louis Theroux's production company is infringing his copyright in the 1995 "Alien Autopsy" film by producing its upcoming documentary on the origins of the hoax footage.

  • February 26, 2026

    European Patent Court To Open 2nd Panel At Düsseldorf

    The Unified Patent Court will open a second panel in Düsseldorf on Sunday, with the city in northwest Germany joining Munich as the only other city having two panels within the court's local division.

Expert Analysis

  • EU Foreign Subsidies Guide Brings Clarity And Questions

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    The European Commission’s long-awaited EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation guidelines provide helpful clarifications for companies, but with many areas remaining broadly framed, uncertainty may continue to deter investments and increase the compliance burden on organizations, say lawyers at Hogan Lovells.

  • USPTO Initiatives May Bolster SEP Litigation In The US

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    The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's recent efforts to revitalize standard-essential patent litigation face hurdles in their reliance on courts and other agencies, but may help the U.S. regain its central role in global SEP litigation if successful, say attorneys at Axinn.

  • How To Navigate AI M&A Risks, Compliance In Europe

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    As the artificial intelligence industry continues to witness substantial M&A transactions in Europe, parties should be mindful of the unique challenges posed by the acquisition of intangible AI technologies, monitor the evolving regulatory landscape, and establish optimal mechanisms for risk allocation, say lawyers at Morgan Lewis.

  • Judicial AI Guidance Update Shows Caution Still Prevails

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    The judiciary’s recently updated guidance on the use of artificial intelligence warns judges and tribunal members about misinformation and white text manipulation, providing a reminder that AI tools cannot replace direct engagement with evidence and reflecting a broader concern about their application when handling confidential material, say lawyers at Hogan Lovells.

  • Navigating Legal Privilege Issues When Using AI

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    The recent explosion in artificial intelligence has led to prompts and AI outputs that may be susceptible to disclosure in proceedings, and it is important to apply familiar principles to assess whether legal privilege may apply to these interactions, say lawyers at HSF.

  • UK Getty Ruling Tests Balance Of IP Rights And AI Industry

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    The recent Getty Images v. Stability AI High Court decision, rejecting copyright claims while upholding limited trademark infringement, will influence the creative community and U.K. artificial intelligence industry alike, and the training of AI models in the U.K. is still a risk, say lawyers at Powell Gilbert.

  • Role Of UK Investment Act Is Evolving In M&A Deals

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    With merger and acquisition activity likely to increase in light of the government’s new defense industrial strategy, the role of the National Security and Investment Act will come into sharper focus, and its recent annual report confirms that scrutiny is intensifying, say lawyers at Kingsley Napley.

  • Growth, Harmonization In Focus As Hague System Turns 100

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    One hundred years after its establishment, the Hague System has grown into an important pillar of international design protection, offering a promising path toward even greater harmonization in design law as its geographic reach continues to expand, say attorneys at Sterne Kessler.

  • EPO Referral May Shift Patent Description Amendment Rules

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    The European Patent Office’s recent referral G 1/25 to the Enlarged Board of Appeal seeks to offer clarification on inconsistencies concerning requirements for description amendments, which could bring a change in direction for the EPO that potentially harmonizes its prosecution process with those of other countries, say lawyers at Finnegan.

  • What To Know About Interim Licenses In Global FRAND Cases

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    Recent U.K. court decisions have shaped a framework for interim licenses in global standard-essential patent disputes, under which parties can benefit from operating on temporary terms while a court determines the final fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory terms — but the future of this developing remedy is in doubt, say attorneys at Fish & Richardson.

  • EU Act Establishes Data Sharing Rules, But Hurdles Remain

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    The recently effective European Union Data Act provisions establish harmonized rules to unlock the use of data generated by technology-embedded software, but leave practical challenges that organizations will need to navigate to comply with cross-border requirements, say lawyers at King & Spalding.

  • 5 Ways To Address The Legal Risks Of Employee AI Use

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    Employees’ use of unauthorized artificial intelligence tools has become a regulatory issue, and in-house legal counsel are best placed to close the gap between governance controls and innovation, mitigating the risk of organizations' exposure to noncompliance with European Union and U.K. data protection requirements, say lawyers at MoFo.

  • EU-US Data Transfer Ruling Offers Reassurance To Cos.

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    The European Union General Court’s recent upholding of the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework in Latombe v. European Commission, although subject to appeal, provides companies with legal certainty for the first time by allowing the transfer of European Economic Area personal data without relying on alternative mechanisms, say lawyers at Wilson Sonsini.

  • Between The Lines Of EPO's Adoption Of Color Drawings

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    The European Patent Office's decision to accept patent drawings in color starting in October may enhance clarity in technical disclosures and streamline the examination process, and could also enable new patent filing strategies for international applicants, say attorneys at Miller Canfield.

  • How WTO's Anti-Suit Injunction Ruling Affects IP Stakeholders

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    The World Trade Organization's recent ruling in favor of the European Union's challenge to Chinese courts' anti-suit injunction practices should hearten holders of standard-essential patents, while implementers can take solace that they retain mechanisms to distinguish the WTO decision when seeking anti-suit injunctions in U.S. courts, says Michael Franzinger at Dentons.

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