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March 22, 2023
Photograph of two inventors wearing lab coats in a scientific laboratory. The nearest inventor is looking into a microscope. There are beakers on the counter beside her.

Federal Court Allows Addition of Third Inventor to Two Patents

2023 FC 115: The Court found that the omission of the third inventor was a result of inadvertence, rather than delay, and allowed the correction.
February 9, 2023
Side view of a gray housecat's head against a plain gray background.

FCA Upholds Refusal to Grant “procat” Trademark

2023 FCA 4: The prefix "pro" did little to make Puma's "procat" mark distinctive over Caterpillar's CAT & Triangle Design.
February 3, 2023
Photograph of a person standing in a sunlit meadow and holding a globe under their arm.

Can the Patent System Help Safeguard Canadian Military Innovations?

Most major countries in the world, including the USA and China, require innovators to secure a “foreign filing license” before they can seek patent protection in a foreign country. Canada has no such regime, but perhaps it's time.
January 20, 2023
Photograph of assorted blister packs containing pharmaceuticals in pill form.

Past Conduct Deemed Relevant to Infringement in ANDA Proceedings

CAFC No. 22-1595: In this precedential decision on induced infringement, the Federal Circuit clarified that “past conduct is relevant to what will happen in the future”.
January 5, 2023
In a hospital room, a woman in a white lab looks at a computer monitor.

USPTO to Launch Cancer Moonshot Expedited Examination Pilot Program

Starting on February 1st, the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will offer accelerated examination for patent applications aimed at preventing cancer and cancer mortality.
November 29, 2022
Photograph of a hand holding a calculator and performing financial calculations.

Canada’s Highest Court Upholds $644M Award for Patent Infringement

2022 SCC 43: The Supreme Court of Canada handed down a decision that awards Dow Chemical $644 million—the largest monetary offering in a Canadian patent lawsuit.
October 25, 2022
Cartoon image of a hand emerging from the screen of a laptop to pluck a dollar bill from the hands of a tiny man.

Christian Varin Sentenced to 5 Years for Defrauding Canadian Inventors

2022 QCCQ 6675: Operating as "Fédération des Inventors du Québec", Varin offered to protect inventions but never filed a single patent application at CIPO.
September 30, 2022
A photograph of a female engineer peering through the wires of a computer.

Can AI Be an Inventor? We’re Asking the Wrong Question

If we reframe the question of “Should AI be named an inventor?” in the context of incentivizing innovation, we get a much more elegant question.
August 18, 2022
A thermometer is shown on a pile of pharmaceutical pills.

Selection Patent for Apixaban Upheld by Federal Court of Appeal

2022 FCA 142: The Court also commented on the relevant date for determining if an invention has been sufficiently described in the patent application.
June 30, 2022
Photograph of a silhouette of a pumpjack in an oil field.

Inventor Fails to Extract a Win on Appeal Against Oil Producer MEG

2022 FCA 118: The appeal court saw no reason to interfere with a trial court decision that favoured MEG Energy in its ongoing patent dispute with inventor Jason Swist.
June 20, 2022
Photograph of three baseballs on the grass, representing three strikes.

Three Strikes: Federal Court Rejects CIPO’s Approach to Software Patent Eligibility

2022 FC 923: For the third time since 2011, CIPO’s approach to software patent eligibility has been struck down by the Federal Court.
June 6, 2022
Photograph of a chimpanzee that appears to be thinking

Can AI Be an Inventor? Let’s Ask the Chimpanzees

If an AI produces an invention which satisfies the requirements of patentability, who is the inventor—the creator of the AI or the AI itself?
May 30, 2022
Photograph of a seedling plant sprouting in the soil.

Federal Court of Canada Squashes Contempt of Court Claim

In 2021, the Federal Court found GreenBlue infringed Deeproot's patents and granted an injunction. In 2022, the court was unconvinced that GreenBlue violated the injunction.
May 12, 2022
Engineer at an oil refinery inspects centrifuge equipment.

Federal Circuit Narrows Application of the Experimental Use Exception

Under the “on-sale bar”, privately offering to sell an invention before filing a patent application can void the patent rights in all but a few permissible scenarios.
April 28, 2022
Headshot of CEO, Andrew T. Currier

Andrew Currier Elected to CPATA Board — Andrew Currier Est Élu au Conseil du CABAMC

Thank you for your participation in the recent election for CPATA. // Je vous remercie de votre participation à la récente élection du CABAMC.
April 20, 2022
Photograph of a doctor holding out small white pills

Data Protections Once Again Prevent Médunik From Launching Pediatric Drug

The Federal Court disagreed with Health Canada's interpretation of data protection regulations, once again reversing approval of pediatric drug RUZURGI.
April 18, 2022
Photograph of a student holding a diploma at a graduation ceremony

Hodan Mohamud Awarded PCK’s 2022 Diversity Scholarship

A first year medical student at the University of Toronto is this year's winner of the PCK Diversity Scholarship for students in science or engineering.
April 11, 2022
Photograph of a beer tap in a bar showing the brewer's trademark on the label.

Cowbells Brewing Taps Out: Ontario Brewer Denied Rights to Bell Trademark

New trademark registrations can be opposed by business owners who are concerned that the mark would cause confusion with their own registered trademark.
April 7, 2022
Photograph of a hand holding a smartphone. The smartphone displays the Youtube logo.

Is it Time for Video Provisional Patent Applications?

In a world of Instagram, Youtube and TikTok, why can't inventors submit their provisional patent applications entirely in video format?
March 29, 2022
Photograph of a computer programmer holding up a sticky note that says "A.I."

The Limits of Artificial Intelligence and Patent Drafting

Today, there is much talk about how artificial intelligence plays a significant role in patent drafting and could replace the patent attorney altogether.