IP and R&D Spark Newsletter

This month’s Legal Watch brings clarity and complexity to the patent law landscape. A strategic overview of U.S. litigation trends sets the tone, as the USPTO rolls out enhanced security for the Patent Center. In the courts, Bayer v. Mylan tests the bounds of obviousness, while the Federal Circuit’s decision in Finesse Wireless v. AT&T underscores evolving standards in wireless tech litigation.

In Industry News, the USPTO tightens PTAB review standards, emphasizing limits on re-litigation of previously adjudicated claims. Identity verification becomes mandatory for Patent Center access, while the EPO modernizes drawings policy to allow color and greyscale from October onward. The UK IPO prepares to launch its One IPO Patents service, signalling stronger digital integration.

This month’s Techno Spotlight explores emerging breakthroughs and real-world readiness across verticals. In Chemicals & Materials, alarming findings link microplastics to neurological damage, while new catalysts, PFAS alerts, and advanced rocket fuel innovations shake up the regulatory and sustainability landscape. In Life Sciences, AI meets biotech with fracture-healing glues, nanoparticle design systems, and smart wound-recovery devices. A surprising discovery in pancreatic GLP-1 production opens new doors for metabolic health.

Hi-Tech headlines include battery advancements from MIT, water-walking soft robots, eco-friendly quantum dots, and a brain-inspired artificial neuron. Consumer Goods leaders like Kraft Heinz, PepsiCo, and Danone realign with bold strategic pivots and nutrition-focused R&D. In Regulatory Affairs, India fast-tracks pharma innovation via NDCT reforms, the FDA flags prenatal paracetamol concerns, and new ICH safety guidelines reshape drug classification.

Auto & Mobility trends blend innovation with user experience—from Nissan’s hybrid challenge to Toyota and Hyundai, to Porsche’s screen-heavy interiors and Volkswagen’s controversial return to buttons. Meanwhile, SEP developments continue to stir the global IP arena as BYD joins Avanci, a new semiconductor memory pool launches via LA, and India’s Supreme Court halts antitrust action against Ericsson.

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