Intellectual Property UK

  • April 07, 2026

    J&J Unit Challenges US Gov't Cancer Drug Patent In UK

    Johnson & Johnson's research unit has asked a London judge to revoke a patent for a blood cancer treatment owned by the U.S. government, as the pharmaceutical giant prepares to launch its own latest treatment for multiple myeloma. 

  • April 07, 2026

    Siemens Unit Can't Nix Rival's Electrical Power Patent 

    Siemens' healthcare unit has failed to convince European officials to nix a rival's patent for a slip ring that is used to transmit electrical power as a narrower set of claims meant that the patent was no longer adding extra information. 

  • April 07, 2026

    Samsung Loses Patent For Tinnitus-Treating Headphones

    A European appeals panel has stripped Samsung of its patent for noise-canceling headphones that can treat tinnitus while the user listens to music, upholding a Danish organization's claim that the tech isn't inventive.

  • April 07, 2026

    Viagra Maker Blocks Rival's 'Kamagra' TM

    Viatris has persuaded European officials to strike down a drugmaker's "Kamagra by Carene" trademark after proving that the branding sought to piggyback on the reputation of its famous little blue pill.

  • April 07, 2026

    Advanz Takes Aim At Rival's Bowel Disease Drug Patent

    Pharmaceutical company Advanz has asked a London court to revoke a rival's patent in the U.K. for a bowel disease drug, arguing that the treatment is not inventive enough to deserve protection.

  • April 03, 2026

    HFW Hires Senior In-House Amazon Pro For Paris Office

    Holman Fenwick Willan has boosted its office in Paris with the hire of a senior in-house lawyer at Amazon, which it says will strengthen the firm's services in global disputes and regulatory investigations.

  • April 02, 2026

    Illumina's 'Obvious Mistake' Not Enough To Chuck UPC Claim

    Element Biosciences failed to convince judges at the Lisbon Local Division of the Unified Patent Court to dismiss rival Illumina's infringement action over errors it argued crippled the claim.

  • April 02, 2026

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

    The past week in London has seen data giant Sportrader face action from software company Altenar over alleged market abuse, Mexican billionaire Ricardo Pliego sue a man who allegedly defrauded him out of $415 million, and Warner Bros. bring a copyright claim against a YouTuber who leaked set footage of the upcoming Harry Potter series. Here, Law360 looks at these and other new claims in the U.K. 

  • April 02, 2026

    Sinocare Can't Scrap Abbott's Glucose Monitor Ban At UPC

    U.S. pharmaceutical company Abbott Laboratories has convinced appellate judges at the Unified Patent Court to uphold its preliminary injunction against Sinocare and its European distributor, marking the latest in Abbott's crackdown on rival glucose monitor makers.

  • April 02, 2026

    Powell Gilbert Promotes IP Barrister To Partnership

    Powell Gilbert LLP has announced the promotion of an intellectual property barrister to its partnership, elevating the lawyer after more than 10 years at the London-based law firm.

  • April 02, 2026

    Zara Owner Blocks 'Zayaa' TM Applications In European Union

    Zara owner Inditex SA has persuaded European Union officials to reject a pair of "Zayaa" trademark applications as it demonstrated that the brand could confuse shoppers because of its similarity to the "Zara" trademark.

  • April 01, 2026

    Emotional Perception AI Patent Stumbles At UKIPO Do-Over

    Emotional Perception's AI invention still does not qualify for patent protection, according to an early report from the U.K.'s Intellectual Property Office reconsidering whether to grant patent protections after the company's landmark win at the Supreme Court.

  • April 01, 2026

    Chopin Institute Strikes Sour Note For Distillers' 'Chopin' TM

    The Fryderyk Chopin Institute in Warsaw has successfully blocked a distillery from registering the trademark "Chopin" for alcohol and soft drinks, convincing European Union officials that the public would confuse it with the Polish 19th-century composer.

  • April 01, 2026

    IP Office Launches New Digital Patent Services

    The U.K.'s Intellectual Property Office launched new digital services Wednesday to apply for, manage or renew patents, marking the latest step in the office's ongoing "One IPO" transformation plan.

  • April 01, 2026

    Chemical Co. Wins Second Shot At Gas Purification Patent Bid

    Industrial gases company Praxair Technology Inc. has won a second shot at patenting a system for gas pre-purification, as a European appeals panel found the company had sufficiently clarified what its application related to.

  • April 01, 2026

    DLA Piper's London MP To Join Eversheds Sutherland

    Eversheds Sutherland said Wednesday that it has hired the managing partner of DLA Piper's office in London and another lawyer from the firm to boost its services to clients in intellectual property disputes.

  • April 01, 2026

    Banksy Wins Costs After Art Biz Drops £1.4M Libel Claim

    A London court said Wednesday that Banksy and his licensing company can recover the money they spent defending themselves against a street art retailer's £1.4 million ($1.9 million) libel claim that it later dropped.

  • March 31, 2026

    Microsoft Facing UK Biz Software Probe After Cloud Fixes

    Emboldened by changes Microsoft and Amazon agreed to make changes to their cloud services, Britain's competition enforcer on Tuesday said it has now launched an investigation into Microsoft's business software over concerns about its licensing practices and the integration of artificial intelligence.

  • March 31, 2026

    L'Oréal Beats Henkel's Appeal To Void Hairstyling Patent

    A European appeals panel has rejected Henkel's attempt to quash L'Oréal's hairstyling patent, ruling in a decision published Tuesday that the product is inventive enough to merit protection.

  • March 31, 2026

    Glaxo Wins Appeal Against Pfizer Inhaler Dose Patent

    Glaxo Group has persuaded European officials to revoke Pfizer's patent covering a dose-counting device for inhalers, as an appeals board found the design was not new because earlier devices already included similar features used to hold and dispense doses of medication. 

  • March 31, 2026

    Bruschetta Marks Too Different To Confuse, EUIPO Says

    A Bulgarian-based food production company can't stop a baking business from registering its trademark for bruschetta over its alleged similarities with an earlier "Bruschette" mark, as a European office concluded that there is no likelihood of the public confusing the two.

  • March 31, 2026

    Nestlé Loses Bid To Patent Swallowing Disorder Formula

    Nestlé has lost its attempt to patent a formula for treating swallowing disorders, with European appellate officials ruling that the company failed to explain how the formula could be put into practice. 

  • March 31, 2026

    'Bezos' TM Bid Sunk Over Bad-Faith Link To Amazon CEO

    Intellectual property officials in Britain have invalidated a software company's bid to trademark "Bezos," finding that it was seeking to capitalize on the reputation of Jeff Bezos, chief executive of Amazon.

  • March 30, 2026

    Squire Patton Appoints Andrew Wilkinson As European Chief

    Squire Patton Boggs LLP on Tuesday named a senior commercial lawyer in its London office as European managing partner for the next three years.

  • March 30, 2026

    Dior Wins Fight To Block Chinese 'Hydior' Perfume Bottle TM

    Dior has won its battle to nix a Chinese perfume bottle seller's "Hydior" brand, with a European intellectual property authority concluding the mark took unfair advantage of Dior's fame.

Expert Analysis

  • Ocado Appeal Outcome Will Gauge UPC Transparency

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    As the sole Unified Patent Court case concerning third-party requests for court records, the forthcoming appeal decision in Ocado v. Autostore will hopefully set out a clear and consistent way to handle reasoned requests, as access to nonconfidential documents will surely lead to more efficient conduct of proceedings, says Tom Brazier at EIP.

  • Businesses Using AI Face Novel Privacy, Cybersecurity Risks

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    Rapid advancements in artificial intelligence are resulting in complex privacy and cybersecurity challenges for businesses, and with the forthcoming EU AI Act and enhancement of existing laws to ensure a high common level of security, key stakeholders should be empowered to manage associated risks, say lawyers at Goodwin.

  • Following The Road Map Toward Quantum Security

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    With the Financial Conduct Authority’s recent publication of a white paper on a quantum-secure financial sector, firms should begin to consider the quantum transition early — before the process is driven by regulatory obligations — with the goal of developing a cybersecurity architecture that is agile while also allowing for quantum security, say lawyers at Cleary.

  • AI Is Outpacing IP Law Frameworks

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    In Thaler v. Comptroller-General, the U.K. Supreme Court recently ruled that artificial intelligence can't be an inventor, but the discussion on the relationship between AI and intellectual property law is far from over, and it's clear that technology is developing faster than the legal framework, says Stephen Carter at The Intellectual Property Works.

  • New Reduced EPO Fees May Shift Applicant Demographics

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    The upcoming European Patent Office fee reduction scheme, aimed at helping smaller organizations access the patent system, is a positive step that could help shift the applicant demographic, which has typically been dominated by larger businesses, says Annabel Williams at Marks & Clerk.

  • Mitigating And Managing Risks Of AI Use In Private Equity

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    While generative artificial intelligence has the ability to transform private equity firms and their portfolio companies, its deployment brings inherent risks, including those presented by the forthcoming EU AI Act, requiring appropriate risk management strategies, processes and policies to be adopted, says Barry Fishley at Weil.

  • Aldi Design Infringement Case Highlights Assessment Issues

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    The forthcoming English Court of Appeal decision in Marks and Spencer v. Aldi, regarding the alleged infringement of design rights, could provide practitioners with new guidance, particularly in relation to the relevant date for assessment of infringement and the weight that should be attributed to certain design elements in making this assessment, say Rory Graham and Georgia Davis at RPC.

  • Generative AI Raises IP, Data Protection And Contracts Issues

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    As the EU's recent agreement on the Artificial Intelligence Act has fueled businesses' interest in adopting generative AI tools, it is crucial to understand how these tools utilize material to generate output and what questions to ask in relation to intellectual property, data privacy and contracts, say lawyers at Deloitte Legal.

  • Vodafone Decision Highlights Wide Scope Of UK's FDI Rules

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    The U.K. government’s recently imposed conditions required for its approval of Vodafone and Etisalat’s strategic relationship agreement under its National Security and Investment Act jurisdiction, illustrating the significance of the act as an important factor for transactions with a U.K. link, says Matthew Hall at McGuireWoods.

  • What The EU AI Act Could Mean For Patent Law

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    As the EU Artificial Intelligence Act has now been endorsed by all member states, companies and patent owners with interests in the bloc may want to prepare for when the act enters into force, including by considering potential subject matter exclusions, says Terence Broderick at Murgitroyd.

  • Considering A Practical FRAND Rate Assessment Procedure

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    As the debate over a fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory rate continues inside and outside courtrooms, a practical method may assess whether the proposed FRAND rate deviates significantly from what is reasonable, and ensure an optimal mix of assets for managers of standard-essential patent portfolios, says consultant Gordon Huang.

  • How AI Inventorship Is Evolving In The UK, EU And US

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    While the U.K. Supreme Court's recent decision in Thaler v. Comptroller-General is the latest in a series of decisions by U.K., U.S. and EU authorities that artificial intelligence systems cannot be named as inventors in patents, the guidance from these jurisdictions suggests that patents may be granted to human inventors that use AI as a sophisticated tool, say lawyers at Mayer Brown.

  • Cos. Should Plan Now For Extensive EU Data Act Obligations

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    The recently enacted EU Data Act imposes wide-ranging requirements across industries and enterprises of all sizes, and with less than 20 months until the provisions begin to apply, businesses planning compliance will need to incorporate significant product changes and revision of contract terms, say Nick Banasevic, Robert Spano and Ciara O'Gara at Gibson Dunn. 

  • UK Ruling Revitalizes Discussions On Harmonizing AI And IP

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    The U.K. Supreme Court's decision in Thaler v. Comptroller-General last month has reinvigorated ongoing discussions about how the developments in artificial intelligence fit within the existing intellectual property legislative landscape, illustrating that effective regulation will be critical as the value and influence of this sector grows, say Nick White and Olivia Gray at Charles Russell.

  • AI Inventorship Patent Options After UK Supreme Court Ruling

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    The U.K. Supreme Court's recent ruling in Thaler v. Comptroller-General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks that an AI system cannot be an inventor raises questions about alternative approaches to patent protection for AI-generated inventions and how the decision might affect infringement and validity disputes around such patents, says David Knight at Brown Rudnick.

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