India uses ancient texts to foil US bid to patent lotus to treat obesity.

The claim made by a US company on the usefulness of  lotus  and cowhage (a herb) for treatment of obesity and hunger at the European Patent Office (EPO) has been foiled by India, largely because of submission of prior art evidence from ancient Hindu texts that refutes the claim of novelty.

The US based company Somalab had filed a patent publication no EP2419508 at the European Patent Office (EPO) in 2010. The patent titled ‘Method for the induction of a reward response by modulation of dopaminergic systems in the central nervous system ‘ had claimed the usefulness of lotus and cowhage in the treatment of obesity and hunger control as novel. The patent was ‘deemed to have been withdrawn’ through a communication by EPO on August 13, 2014.

The Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL), a unit of Council of Scientific & Industrial Research had submitted prior art evidence in the form of references from ancient books and texts citing evidence that the plants have been used alone or in combination along with few other ingredients for the treatment for the treatment of obesity, polyphagia/excessive hunger and for satiating in the traditional Indian system of medicine.

Confirming that the patent has been deemed to have been withdrawn, an EPO spokesperson said: “The exact reason for the applicant losing interest in their patent application cannot be known for certain. It is true that evidence provided by TKDL was used by the EPO examiner in their examination report, objecting to aspects of the Somalab’s patent application and subsequently Somalab’s application was deemed withdrawn for failure to respond. They have a few weeks to react, but if we do not get a response, the application will be terminated.”

Former TKDL director VK Gupta had on his last day in office submitted all evidence which specifies that these plants were used traditionally for treatment of obesity and hunger control.

“The claims of the usefulness of a combination of plants — sacred lotus and cowhage for treatment of obesity, polyphagia/excessive hunger and for satiating when the therapeutic effects of claimed plants are already known as traditional knowledge cannot be considered as inventive,” Dr Gupta had said in his letter to EPO.

Source:- http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/1263835.aspx?s=p

Geographical Indication for Thanjavur Veena

The renowned Thanjavur Veena added another feather to its crown after it received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag formally on 25/05/2014. Though the tag was published in the GI Registry on December 4, 2012 itself, through a statutory notification, the government officially announced it in early 2013. And, after more than a year, the certificate confirming the GI status was handed over formally to the Thanjavur Musical Instruments Workers’ Cooperative Cottage Industrial Society Limited on 25/05/2014.

As per the GI of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, goods having specific geographical origin and possessing “distinct qualities, reputation or characteristics essentially attributable to that place of origin” are given the GI tag. Such recognition would prevent misuse of its name/reputation.

Around 100 families from Viswakarma community residing in a small locality in Thanjavur city have been keeping the Veena-making art alive even after many of their people quit the profession. However, about 10 families are involved in the art in a full-fledged manner. The Veenas are made from matured jackfruit tree wood brought from Panruti in Cuddalore district. There are two types of Veenas – Ekantha Veena (made from a single piece of wood) and three-piece Veena (made from three pieces of jackfruit tree wood). The price of each instrument ranges from Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000. Initially, the raw woods are transformed into the shape of Veena by some exclusively-talented carpenters.

The Thanjavur Musical Instruments Workers’ Industrial Cooperative Society Limited, which started in 1952 procures the instruments from its members and sells them in the market. But they too could not meet orders from other countries. The GI tag now allows them to sell the patented product across the world easily and also protect its sanctity.

It takes 20 days to 30 days to make a complete Veena. The orders for the instruments are plenty from the expert musicians and students. Likewise, the showrooms dealing with musical instruments also give them a lot of orders to these workers. However, for the hard work going into it, the income is meagre but the GI tag conferred has brought fresh hopes to the artisans.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/City/Trichy/GI-for-Thanjavur-Veena-gives-makers-more-leverage/articleshow/35611999.cms