Apple makes rare patent purchase; pharma licensing slumps; Amster was right about RPX; Greentech patent survey; plus much more
The IAM editorial team was busy last week, bringing readers 14 major stories from across the world. Transactions, policy, litigation and IP market news were all in the mix, with developments in Europe, Asia and North America all coming under the microscope. Here’s what we covered …
MONDAY 4th March
LG Chem scores settlement and licence with key Chinese battery maker that supplies companies including Apple and Oppo. Read more here
High asset valuations and a loss of momentum in the oncology space seem to be behind a sharp fall in patent licensing transactions in the pharma sector. Read more here
Apple has made a rare foray into the secondary market to acquire a package of US patents from a former AI home camera maker. Read more here
TUESDAY 5th March
Dominion Harbor boss says the decision to set up a licensing team in Beijing last year is starting to pay off. The acquisition of 1,000 new patents from Panasonic is a further boost. Read more here
John Amster was fired as RPX CEO after recommending that it should go private, but two years later he has been completely vindicated. Read more here
The sudden departure of WiLAN’s CEO is just the latest example of how changes in the C-suite point to challenges licensing companies face in an evolving market. Read more here
WEDNESDAY 6th March
IAM's annual benchmarking survey identifies the key concerns of senior IP leaders in areas such as deal-making, valuation, patent office performance, top litigation venues and policy. Read more here
THURSDAY 7th March
We take a deep dive into the field of environmentally sound technologies to see which areas have the best opportunities for development and who owns the most valuable patents. Read more here
The Barcelona Commercial Court saw a 43% jump in its special IP docket during February’s Mobile World Congress, with companies such as Samsung, Xiaomi, ZTE, LG and Sisvel all involved. Read more here
A lone inventor from Portugal is taking on Huawei in a case that exposes the deep disparities in the US patent system. Read more here
USPTO Director Andrei Iancu has issued another warning about the dangers of over-reading 101 precedent. Read more here
FRIDAY 8th March
For the first time, the Court of Justice of the European Union has been asked to rule on whether SPCs can be acquired on the basis of a third-party marketing approval. Read more here
Japanese patent fund operator IP Bridge is preparing for life as a fully private entity with government funding expected to cease towards the middle of this year. Read more here
5G deal with Qualcomm and leading research institutes provides more evidence of France Brevets’ evolution. Read more here