News

Accelerating Patent Prosecution: A Guide to UKIPO and EPO Fast-Track Schemes

In the current economic climate, intellectual property is more than just legal protection; it is a critical business asset. However, the traditional route to obtaining a granted UK patent, whether through a direct filing or a European patent validated in the UK, typically spans two to five years. By leveraging "Fast-Track" routes, such as the Green Channel or the Patent Prosecution Highway, savvy businesses can secure their rights in a fraction of the standard time, often without incurring additional official fees.

UK Supreme Court Rejects Oatly’s ‘POST MILK GENERATION’ Trade Mark Appeal

The UK Supreme Court has issued its landmark ruling in the Oatly POST MILK GENERATION case (see the full decision here). The case centres around the use/registration of the trade mark POST MILK GENERATION for non-dairy milk substitutes, and whether this is contrary to EU law, specifically Regulation (EU) No. 1308/2013 on the labelling of agricultural products (retained EU law post-Brexit).

UK Supreme Court Reshapes Patentability of Artificial Neural Networks

In a unanimous judgment handed down today, the UK Supreme Court allowed the appeal in Emotional Perception AI Ltd v Comptroller-General of Patents [2026] UKSC 3, fundamentally shifting the UK's approach to patenting computer-implemented inventions such as those using Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs).

In-depth Series: EPO Case Law relating to cell therapies: a summary of 2025

Here, we take a closer look at a selection of decisions from 2025 that highlight the recent patentability and procedural issues seen in the field of cell-based therapeutics. 

Nice Classification 2026: Key Changes Affecting Trade Mark Filings

Meet Charlotte Watkins at The Lifted Project Women Angels Conference 2026

Meet Charlotte Watkins at The Lifted Project Women Angels Conference 2026 on Friday 30 January in Leeds.

A to Z: Drugs in Highlight – Revisited

From bold lifecycle extensions to high-stakes litigation, each article will explore how IP continues to shape the destiny of these products. We will uncover the tactics, the turning points, and the lessons that matter for anyone navigating the crossroads of innovation and exclusivity in the drug discovery sector.

Elevate Your Career in IP: Join Secerna as a Physics Patent Attorney

Are you a part-qualified or fully qualified UK and/or European Patent Attorney currently in private practice or working in-house looking to take the next step? If you are seeking a new challenge that will provide you with exciting new opportunities to develop and contribute to a fast-growing IP firm, we would be delighted to hear from you.

CJEU asked to interpret Article 3(d) in new SPC referral

The German Federal Patent Court has asked the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) to resolve a fundamental question at the intersection of human and veterinary pharmaceutical regulation: Can a veterinary medicine authorisation qualify as the “first authorisation” for Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) purposes when the same active ingredient was authorised years earlier for human use?