Light Up or Snuff Out ~ the case against plain packaging for tobacco products ~
The Tobacco Plain Packaging Act 2011 in Australia has set in motion a global debate. The Australian Act mandates that the design of tobacco products…
Updates
Polo Saga – Round 1
The Opponent, Polo/Lauren Company, L.P., filed an opposition in the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore against the trade mark application made by United States Polo…
The Budapest Treaty – Finally Coming To Malaysia ?
There are presently 79 countries that are party to the Budapest Treaty (amended 26 September 1980) on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms…
Dial TM for an Ambulance
The deep-seated need for every brand owner to secure exclusive rights to use a trade mark does not discriminate when it comes to the source…
Singapore – Supplementary Examination of Patent Applications
Changes to Singapore patents law which came into effect on 14 February 2014 introduced a new procedure called Supplementary Examination (SPE). Under Section 29(1)(d) of…
Options for Expediting Patent Prosecution in Malaysia
Intellectual Property (IP) is increasingly becoming a crucial catalyst of business growth in globalised and developing economies such as Malaysia. We have seen a steady…
A Skirmish of the Suds
On 06 July 2006, a trade mark application was filed for the mark OILUM by Galenium Pharmasia Laborotories, an Indonesian pharmaceutical company and the application…
Persistence pays off for Local IT Security Firm
The date 23 September 2014 would seem to be like just another day on the calendar. However, this date is particularly significant for our valued…
Changes to Singapore Trade Marks and Registered Designs Law
The legislative amendments to the Trade Marks Rules, Trade Marks (International Registration) Rules, Registered Designs Rules and Registered Designs (International Registration) Rules came into effect…
MyIPO and Japan Patent Office launch PPH Pilot Program
Effective 01 October 2014, the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO) and the Japan Patent Office (JPO) have commenced a Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) pilot…
Motherhood Pte Ltd v Lau Elaine and others [2013] SGHC 258
The Plaintiff’s monthly printed “Motherhood Magazine” relating to parenting issues had been published in Singapore since 1983. An application to register the trade mark “Motherhood”…
Modified Substantive Examination
The pendency of a Malaysian application normally lasts 3-4 years before it proceeds to grant where much of it is spent waiting for its examination.…