IP and R&D Spark Newsletter

This month’s Legal Watch spotlights a shifting post-grant landscape as the Patent Office proposes rules that further restrict review of granted patents. The USPTO also pilots Automated Search and a Streamlined Claim Set program to improve pre-exam quality and efficiency. On the litigation front, Samsung is ordered to pay nearly half a billion dollars in a high-profile infringement case—an exclamation point on year-end enforcement trends.

In Industry News, the USPTO launches a new AI pilot for pre-examination search, and—together with the EPO and JPO—forms a trilateral AI working group at the 43rd annual meeting, signaling deeper policy and tooling alignment. South Korea elevates KIPO to a Ministry of Intellectual Property, underscoring national prioritization of IP. The WIPO PCT Yearly Review 2025 closes the loop with filing insights by country and sector as innovators plan for 2026.

This month’s Techno Spotlight captures breakthrough momentum across science and markets. In Chemicals & Materials, the 2025 Chemistry Nobel recognizes frontier work as labs debut new light-emitting materials, a renewable-energy ‘wonder’ material, and a gold-powered catalyst that shatters a decade-old green-chemistry benchmark. In Life Sciences, researchers trace a link between adiposity and Alzheimer’s-like pathology, roll out microfluidic platforms for smarter immunotherapy, and unveil C2S-Scale (27B parameters) to predict cancer cell behavior—alongside iontronic tip-sensing guidewires for real-time hemodynamics.

In Hi-Tech, a $1B NVIDIA–Nokia AI-RAN alliance drives the 5G-Advanced-to-6G transition; Alchip joins Arm Total Design to accelerate Neoverse CSS–based HPC/AI ASICs; Amazon’s “Blue Jay” robots scale warehouse automation; and OpenAI’s ChatGPT Atlas enters the browser arena. Consumer Goods sees strategic moves with Kering × L’Oréal in beauty, Dabur Ventures launching a ~INR 500 Cr platform, Gencor’s rebrand toward proven wellness, and HARKE Pharma’s acquisition of Memory Complex.

Chemical Safety & Regulatory Affairs is active: WHO issues a recall alert on fatal cough syrups; FSSAI tightens ORS labeling; the FDA publishes an NDA filing checklist; the EU sharpens PBDE limits; and regulators examine toxic vaping chemicals and micro/nano-plastics from food-contact materials. Argentina modernizes cosmetics oversight, the EMA backs Brinsupri for bronchiectasis, and the FDA launches a real-time cosmetic AER dashboard.

In Automobile, e-mobility, and mechanical, Archer Aviation moves to acquire Lilium’s 300-patent portfolio, in-vehicle comfort gets a lift via motion-sickness mitigation tech, BorgWarner supplies VTG turbos to Stellantis’ Hurricane 4, and Porsche patents a wild 18-cylinder engine. Finally, Standard Essential Patents heat up as NVIDIA & Nokia partner on AI-native 6G networks, Nokia inks a new streaming SEP license, European leaders align on 6G video-codec standardization, and Via LA presses fresh HEVC SEP suits in Düsseldorf.

Stay tuned for more innovation shaping the IP and R&D landscape!