News - November 2025

1. Final discussions on the 2026 Guidelines
2. Quality Management Manual for Patent Examination
3. Qatar Starts Accepting Industrial Design Registrations
4. Collaborating for impact: EPO and IP Australia reach new milestones
5. USPTO launches new Streamlined Claim Set Pilot Program to further reduce patent pendency
6. EPO and FICPI strengthen dialogue on AI and co-operation in the patent system
7. Potential alternative dosage strategies for patent-protected oral cancer drugs
8. ARIPO Opens 6th Annual Symposium to Tackle Copyright Matters in Africa
9. Mere delay in filing the suit for infringement and injunction against continuing violation of intellectual property rights by itself is not a ground to decline the injunction against an infringer

User consultation once again took centre stage at the Working Party on Guidelines (WP/G), part of the Standing Advisory Committee before the European Patent Office (SACEPO), which gathered on 14 October 2025 for its second and final meeting this year on the draft EPC, PCT-EPO and Unitary Patent (UP) Guidelines. Before the summer, the EPO had shared the drafts with SACEPO WP/G members, inviting them to share their feedback. 

The Office received nearly 400 comments and provided users with its extensive written responses before the meeting, where discussions focused on selected items of major importance. When no consensus could be reached or proposals require detailed assessment they will be considered in a later revision cycle…

Source URL:- https://www.epo.org/en/news-events/news/final-discussions-2026-guidelines

The JPO has released the fourth edition of "Quality Management Manual for Patent Examination" (the "Quality Manual").

This Quality Manual is designed to document the quality management system for patent examination that consists of quality management and its implementation system in line with the fundamental principles stipulated by the Quality Policy released in April 2014.

The JPO published the first edition in August 2014, and the contents are updated when the JPO implements new initiative related to the quality management of patent examination.

Following a review of its quality management system, the JPO has revised the Quality Manual.

The JPO remains dedicated to implementing patent examination accurately and to to achieve patent examination…

Source URL:- https://www.jpo.go.jp/e/introduction/hinshitu/shinsa/tokkyo/tokkyo_manual.html

DOHA – The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) of Qatar has officially started accepting applications for industrial design registrations, marking a significant expansion of intellectual property protections available to designers, manufacturers, and businesses operating in Qatar. 

The launch of the industrial design registry complements Qatar’s existing IP framework, which already covers trademarks, patents and copyrights. Applicants can now file for designs that are both novel and have unique characteristics, covering features such as shape, contours, patterns, ornamentation, and visual aspects… 

Source URL:- https://www.agip.com/News/en/news/23472

Building on the success of their annual bilateral meeting in July, the EPO and IP Australia have further strengthened their co-operation. Only three months after the heads meeting in Munich, the two offices announced plans to launch a pilot programme under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) on 1 March 2026.

?The pilot will allow Australian applicants to designate the EPO as their International Searching Authority and International Preliminary Examining Authority (ISA/IPEA) for PCT applications

?By choosing the EPO as their ISA/IPEA, Australian applicants will gain a strategic advantage through fast, high-quality search reports and detailed written opinions that help accelerate the path towards European patent protection…

Source URL:- https://www.epo.org/en/news-events/news/collaborating-impact-epo-and-ip-australia-reach-new-milestones

ALEXANDRIA, VA—To further accelerate reductions of patent pendency and inventory, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) today announced the launch of its Streamlined Claim Set Pilot Program. Under this new initiative, certain pending utility patent applications that have no more than one independent claim and ten total claims may be advanced out of turn for their first Office action. Applicants may bring their applications into compliance with the pilot requirements by filing a preliminary amendment. 

Narrowly crafted claim sets empower examiners to dive deeper, faster,” said John A. Squires, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO…

Source URL:- https://www.uspto.gov/about-us/news-updates/uspto-launches-new-streamlined-claim-set-pilot-program-further-reduce-patent

In October 2025, the European Patent Office (EPO) and the International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys (FICPI) reinforced their cooperation through two key engagements: the FICPI World Congress in Naples and the annual bilateral meeting in Munich. On 23 October, the EPO and FICPI reinforced their co-opon during a bilateral meeting in Munich.

On 23 October, the EPO and FICPI reinforced their co-operation during a bilateral meeting in Munich, chaired by EPO President António Campinos and attended by the newly elected FICPI 2025-2028 President Elia Sugrañes and colleagues…

Source URL:- https://www.epo.org/en/news-events/news/epo-and-ficpi-strengthen-dialogue-ai-and-co-operation-patent-system

Purpose: To identify potential alternative dosage strategies for patent-protected oral oncology drugs that could reduce costs without decreasing efficacy for future post-marketing optimization trials or immediate prescriber practice changes. 

Methods: All patent-protected oral oncology drugs approved by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) between 2004 and 2024 were identified. Publications, abstracts, and FDA reviews available at Drugs@FDA were assessed to determine if there was a potential alternative dosage strategy that could reduce cost while maintaining efficacy. Strategies were categorized by level of supporting evidence, whether based on randomized controlled trials, nonrandomized trials, or pharmacologic data…

Source URL:- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41138352/

The 6th Annual ARIPO Symposium on Copyright and Related Rights has commenced under the theme “Securing Creativity: Evolving Strategies in Copyright and Related Rights.” Hosted in the vibrant city of Harare, the three-day event brings together a diverse range of experts, stakeholders, policymakers, and creatives to address the evolving landscape of copyright and related rights across the African continent.

In his opening remarks, the Director General of ARIPO warmly welcomed delegates from across the region and beyond, commending participants for reaffirming the vital role each Member State plays in strengthening Africa’s copyright ecosystem…

Source URL:- https://www.aripo.org/public/news/ARIPO+Opens+6th+Annual+Symposium+to+Tackle+Copyright+Matters+in+Africa-1761051217

In the case of Novenco Building And Industry A/S Vs. Xero Energy Engineering Solutions Private Ltd. & Anr., the appeal calls for determination of the expression ‘contemplates any urgent interim relief’ in Section 12A of the Commercial Courts Act, 2015 (hereinafter, referred to as ‘the Act’) in its application to an action for infringement of intellectual property rights. This appeal is directed against the judgment dated 13.11.2024 in Commercial Appeal No. 1 of 2024 passed by Division Bench of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh, by which it has dismissed the appeal of the appellant…

Source URL:- https://api.sci.gov.in/supremecourt/2025/1563/1563_2025_11_1501_65110_Judgement_27-Oct-2025.pdf