Patent due diligence helps ensure exclusivity; areas of inquiry should include inventorship status and rights assignments or reservations

Article Abstract:

Due diligence in patent investigations is especially important in the biopharmaceutical industry, where the exclusive rights to drugs with large markets give the holder the possibility of high profits. It is impossible to determine how impregnable a company's patent position is, but a team approach is necessary to successful patent diligence. Inquiries include inventorship, assignment, retained research rights, possible misappropriation by third parties of the company's technology, and whether other companies have rights that decrease the technology's commercial value.

Pharmaceutical industry, Investigations, Intellectual property, Patents

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U.S. Customs reinforces compliance standards; under the new requirements, importers must make a stronger showing of reasonable care

Article Abstract:

The US Custonms Service has recently made several changes and announcements in keeping witht he Customs Modernization Act passed as part of the NAFTA authorization. Some of these are designed to simplify compliance procedures, but others stiffen penalties and expand the Service's reach. It will now perform more audits, and it has access to tax returns. In June it announced a list of documents importers must keep for five years, though violations may be mitigated by a voluntary compliance program.

Customs administration, United States. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection

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Due diligence required of exporters to the U.S

Article Abstract:

Companies planning to export to the US should first study intellectual property issues, as the law in this area has changed recently. The US implementation of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and patent-friendly trends at the US Patent and Trademark Office and the Federal US Circuit Court of Appeals have led to several changes in law and regulation and their interpretation, including a redefined term of patent, greater ability of a US patentholder to exclude some imports, and more.

Intellectual property (International law), international

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