Intellectual Property Management Services

BCIL provides a comprehensive range of services for effective management of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) to academia, research institutions, government organizations, industry and start-ups in biotechnology and allied subject areas.

Highlights

• Servicing over 500 clients including research institutions/ universities, first generation entrepreneurs and the corporate sector.
• Intellectual Property Facilitation Cell (IPFC) of BCIL is recognized by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) for biotech sector
• Extensive experience and expertise in multiple disciplines of biotechnology to provide single window services for IP facilitation
• Comprehensive IP analysis and due-diligence based on the state-of-the-art databases – Derwent Innovation, Derwent World Patents Index (DWPI), STN etc.

 

Services Offered

IP Analytics

BCIL undertakes assignments on IP analytics that includes different types of searches for prior art i.e. scientific and technical information that exists prior to the effective date of a patent application and preparation of comprehensive reports. Based on the objective of assessing the prior art, it may be classified as:

• Prior Art Search: Assessment of the wealth of patented, non-patent and published literature to provide a comprehensive report covering any knowledge existing prior to the invention.
• Novelty and Patentability Search: Assessment of available knowledge in the subject area with a view to assess novelty, avoid duplication of research and file a patent application.
• Freedom-to-Operate: Evaluation of degree of freedom to use/ operate/ market a product/ process/ technology with respect to patents by others in the subject area.
• Patent Landscape Analysis: Analysis of patents in a subject area using broad search strategies, their classification as per a customized matrix and presentation of results as a landscape through a user-friendly interface. Landscape analysis is an important tool for undertaking ‘White Space’ analysis in an area.
• State-of-the-Art Search: Survey of existing art in a specific technological domain to identify current state of developments including patented technologies and key players in the area.
• Invalidation/ Opposition Search: Assessing prior art to oppose/ invalidate claims of a third-party active patent.

 

Filing, Prosecution and Maintenance of Patents and other IPR tools

BCIL provides end-to-end services towards drafting, filing and prosecution of applications for different forms of IPR including patents, trademarks, designs, copyrights and geographical indications in India and other jurisdictions. These activities are carried out in association with IP attorneys in India and abroad empanelled with BCIL. BCIL ensures effective coordination at all the stages to ensure meeting the stringent time-lines of the procedural activities which are crucial for ensuring successful grant and maintenance of patents and other forms of IPR.

BCIL facilitates registration of plant varieties under ‘The Protection of Plant Variety and Farmers Right Act, 2001’. BCIL has expertise in dealing with plant variety registration requirements such as preparation of plant variety application, filing of plant variety application, and prosecution. BCIL also undertakes database searches for assessing novelty of plant varieties.

 

IP Advisory

BCIL advises clients for effective management of IPRs including providing opinion on best mode and jurisdictions for IP protection and patent portfolio management. Advisory on disclosure/ publication of research findings for patentable research leads is also provided. Clients are also advised on judicious maintenance of patents and other forms of IPR. Clients are advised on issues of infringement, opposition proceedings, suits, appeals, etc. before appropriate authorities and courts of law in association with empanelled attorneys.

National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) approval for filing of patent applications on bioresources: Under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, stakeholders filing patent applications on inventions utilizing bioresources of Indian origin are required to seek approval from the NBA. BCIL advises clients on the requirements and facilitates the process.

Advisory services are provided for formulation of IP policy for organizations/ programs along with hand-holding for adherence to the policy by officials/employees.

 

Capacity Building

BCIL undertakes projects on development and coordination of customized awareness programs, workshops and hands-on-training sessions for different stakeholders including academia, research institutions, government officials and industry in the following areas:

• Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)
• Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) provisions on the use of bioresources from India for research and commercialization

 

Some of the BCIL clients for IP management services include:

Research Institutions

1. Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs)
   1. IIT Kanpur
   2. IIT Madras
   3. IIT Roorkee
   4. IIT Mandi
2. Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Hyderabad
3. Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Cluster
4. International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi
5. National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad
6. Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, New Delhi
7. Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology, Rae Bareli (Institute of National Importance Established under Act of Parliament by MoPNG)
8. Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, Mumbai

 

Academia/ Universities

1. Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir
2. University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bengaluru
3. University of Delhi, South Campus

 

Industry – Healthcare and Agriculture