This House Believes Patent Reform Is Necessary For Biotech To Thrive

We’re hosting our very first debate next Tuesday 8 July 6.30pm at Biopolis! Featuring two teams of distinguished speakers, this is your chance to hear the best in the field battle it out. The session features a floor debate section, where the audience gets to contribute to the conversation. See you there!

Date: Tuesday 8 July 2014
Venue: Exploration Theatrette, Level 4 Matrix Building, 30 Biopolis Street S138671
Time:
6.30pm Registration Opens
7.00-8.30pm Debate
8.30-9.30pm Networking Reception with light refreshments

Speakers
Moderator – Daniel Collopy (Special Counsel, Spruson & Ferguson)
Prof. David Epstein (Director, Centre for Technology & Development, Duke-NUS)
Dr. Leigh Berryman (former CEO, Maccine)
Dr. James Kinnaird (Senior Associate, Marks & Clerk Singapore LLP)
Dr. Yvette Flanigan (Senior Patent Associate, Viering, Jentschura and Partner LLP)
Ho Cheng Huat (EVP, IP Management Division, ETPL)
Berni Hambleton (Founder, Sterling IP)

Are you a scientist wondering how patents affect your research?
Are you a biotech industry professional curious about IP issues?
Are you an IP professional interested in patent reform?

Patents provide incentives to undertake risky research and spur private investment to commercialise products and services. Since the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980, patent filings by universities and research institutes have dramatically increased, but has innovation followed suit?

Some critics believe that the need to license numerous patents for a single product creates a ‘patent thicket’ that hinders development. Others argue that the multitude of patents leads to underuse of inventions. In Singapore, there is increasing emphasis on commercials able outcomes of public-funded research. Some believe that the overuse of patents here as Key Performance Indicators has resulted in research institutes having a mountain of patents with little evaluation of commercial potential.

Come hear our distinguished speakers share their views on the current patent system and what changes are needed to help the biotech industry thrive.

Before the debate, we’re pleased to welcome our newest partner, ESSEC Business School, who will give a short presentation.