High Court Puts Case To Bed

  Bed Bath ‘N’ Table Pty Ltd v Global Retail Brands Australia Pty Ltd [2025] HCA 50   Phillips Ormonde Fitzpatrick Lawyers has successfully represented long-standing client, Bed Bath ‘N’ Table Pty Ltd (BBNT) in its appeal to the High Court of Australia as part of its long running dispute with Global Retail Brands Australia …
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FemTech Needs Better IP Support

Australia’s FemTech industry is rapidly growing and like any technology based on research, development and innovation, it is important for founders to give early consideration to the IP implications of their work. The broader women’s health landscape is also shifting. Growing societal awareness, increased investment and a surge in women-led innovation are reshaping areas ranging …
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Update to Australia’s Trade Mark Regulations

Australian trade mark practitioners should be aware of some changes to the Trade Mark Regulations 1995 which are effective before the end of 2025. The Trade Marks Amendment (International Registrations, Hearings and Oppositions) Regulations 2025 introduces a number of amendments, some of which were effective from 19 November 2025 and others from 19 December 2025. …
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When a Patent Misses the Mark: Lessons from Australia’s Landmark FemTech Case

The decision in EIS v LELO Oceania[1] underscores the importance of clear definitions, reproducible testing parameters, and credible experimental support in the context of FemTech inventions – particularly where biological interfaces are involved. What the case was about The case centred on a patent for a handheld “pressure-wave massager”, a device that uses rhythmic pulses …
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Advance in Computer Technology Not Required: A Win for Computer Implemented Inventions in Australia

Three years ago, the High Court’s equal division in Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Patents [2022] HCA 29 (reported here) left Australia without binding guidance on the patentability of computer implemented inventions. Under section 23(2)(a) of the Judiciary Act, that 3:3 split affirmed the earlier Full Court orders but not its reasons, …
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A Close Call for Medicinal Chemists!

Fresh off the press from the UK Court of Appeal is a decision concerning the pharmaceutical drug Xtandi (Enzalutamide).  Xtandi is indicated in various oncology treatments in Australia and is listed at number 19 the of top 200 selling pharmaceuticals by retail in 2024.  Keen-eyed medicinal chemists will notice that the previously published compound RD162 …
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PROTACs and Protein Degraders: Claiming Space in a Crowded IP Field

The emergence of protein degraders, including proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) and molecular glues, represents one of the most exciting shifts in drug discovery over the past 20 years.  By harnessing the body’s own protein disposal machinery, protein degraders can selectively remove disease-causing proteins, opening the door to treatments for previously ‘undruggable’ targets. Recent clinical milestones, such …
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