IP & Technology Blog

Strategies for Stratified Medicine: A Rosy Outlook for Scotland’s Wealth & Health Posted on Oct 03, 2012 by Dr. Julie Nixon  | 0 Comments This blogger attended an excellent event earlier this week at Edinburgh’s BioQuarter for their inaugural networking event. A distinguished panel of scientists led the discussion on personalised/stratified medicine. Inherited genetic differences affect the body’s response to medication. Some drugs may cause side effects in one individual but not in another. Stratified medicine means looking at the genetic makeup of large groups in the population, then from this information scientists hope to be able to predict which drugs...

IP Ownership and the Valley of Death Posted on Aug 16, 2012 by Dr. Julie Nixon  | 0 Comments There is a clear push on to translate the academic research that goes on in our fine institutions into something commercially viable. IP created is the key to success here, but we have to ask who actually owns the IP coming out of research? The very nature of academic research and different policies among different universities can make this confusing to say the least. On the 2nd of July oral evidence was given as part of the ongoing inquiry by the Commons...

Personalised Medicine And A Myriad Of Problems Posted on Aug 09, 2012 by Dr. Julie Nixon  | 0 Comments US genetic test maker 23andMe is asking the FDA to approve its personalized DNA test, a saliva sample DNA test kit, a move which could make 23andMe a leader in the field and regulate applications which provide information on genetic risk factors for disease. Essentially the saliva test should shed light on what genetic variations an individual has at particular genes. It is worth pondering then the potential minefield of IP problems that have arisen over gene patents and their possessive owners...

Unofficial Olympic Advertising Sails Close To The Wind Posted on Aug 01, 2012 by Dr. Julie Nixon  | 0 Comments Following on from our last blog, it was with some amusement to read that a few prominent brands are doing their best to get in on the Olympic party while steering clear of the draconian brand protection of the Olympic sponsors. The managing director of Oddbins, Ayo Akintola, issued the following statement; “… thanks to LOCOG any business without the tens of millions of pounds required to join the cabal of multinational brand partners for the Games are reduced to the...

Misleading adverts: Rooney tweets and getting bitter with Apple Posted on Jun 24, 2012 by Andy Harris  | 0 Comments You will no doubt be familiar with Apple’s latest advert for new iPhone 4s, which focuses on its Siri voice activated assistant. Well it appears some bitter Apple consumers (pun apology) have raised class actions in the US alleging false and misleading advertising on the basis that Siri is only in beta (test) stage and does not always work in the rather marvellously efficient manner suggested in the advert. Apple not surprisingly have denied any wrongdoing and say they made it...