Supplementary Protection Certificates (patent Extensions)

Dr Duncan Curley trained and qualified in the intellectual property department of a 'magic circle' law firm in London, eventually becoming a partner at the international law firm of McDermott, Will & Emery. He set up his own law firm - Innovate Legal - in June 2007, specialising in advice to companies operating in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors. Dr Curley has appeared in a number of high profile cases throughout his career, including Lenzing v Courtaulds (judicial review of a decision by the European Patent Office), Bespak v 3M (patent revocation proceedings concerning metered dose inhalers) and BioProgress v Stanelco (patent dispute concerning drug encapsulation technology). He is the author of over fifty published articles and his first book - Intellectual Property Licences and Technology Transfer (published by Chandos) - is the leading practical textbook on the impact of European competition law on technology licensing and the block exemption.

Historical background: Patent term erosion and the need for SPCs; The SPC regulation for pharmaceutical and veterinary products; The scheme of the regulation in outline; The SPC regulation for plant protection products; Scope of protection of SPCs: What are covered, what are not covered; Applying for SPCs: Administrative aspects; SPCs in practice: The case law in detail; Analysing the raediatric regulation and paediatric extensions.