MoFo Life Sciences

July 08, 2020 - United States, FDA, COVID-19
FDA Establishes Clear Requirements for COVID-19 Vaccine
By: Matthew Karlyn
On June 30, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released its much anticipated guidance on the licensure of COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines. According to the New York Times , there are currently over 145 COVID-19 vaccines in development across the globe with 20 in
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June 29, 2020 - United States, COVID-19, Intellectual Property
Expedited Trademark Applications for COVID-19-Related Goods and Services
By: Joyce Liou and Eoin Connolly
Recognizing the need for companies to quickly get products to market that might help combat the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States Patent & Trademark Office is now paving the way for shorter examination timelines for qualifying trademark applications. This could prove especially useful in
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June 08, 2020 - FDA, COVID-19, Product Liability + Class Action
How FDA Is Monitoring the COVID-19 Product Market
By: Erin M. Bosman and Julie Y. Park
FDA is actively “monitor[ing] the online ecosystem for fraudulent products peddled by bad actors seeking to profit from this global pandemic.” The agency says it has discovered hundreds of fraudulent COVID-19 products, including drugs, test kits, and PPE sold online with unproven claims. It is working
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May 26, 2020 - United States, FDA, Medical Devices + Diagnostics, COVID-19, Product Liability + Class Action, Healthcare
FDA Signals Flexibility with COVID-19 Tests
By: Erin M. Bosman and Julie Y. Park
A bipartisan group of experts in economics, health, technology, and ethics recommended that the U.S. scale up COVID-19 testing—5 million per day by June, 20 million per day by midsummer—in order to fully re-mobilize the economy. Consistent with this, FDA has taken various steps
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May 22, 2020 - COVID-19, CFIUS, Healthcare, Asia
Japan Moves to Tighten Restrictions on Foreign Investment in Healthcare Industries
By: Gary Mitchel Smith
Amid concerns about predatory acquisitions of weakened companies and strategic assets during the COVID‑19 crisis, more and more countries are restricting foreign direct investment (FDI) in their domestic companies, especially in the medical and healthcare industries. These restrictions tend to target Chinese investment in
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May 14, 2020 - United States, FDA, COVID-19, Intellectual Property
Free Prioritized Examination for COVID-19 Patent Applications
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announced a Prioritized Examination Pilot Program for COVID-19-related patent applications. To qualify, an applicant must be a small entity or micro-entity and the application must contain at least one claim covering products or process that are
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May 08, 2020 - United States, FDA, Medical Devices + Diagnostics, COVID-19, Product Liability + Class Action
COVID-19 Alert: FDA updates antibody test policy
By: Erin M. Bosman and Julie Y. Park
Serology tests could play a critical role in the fight against COVID-19. Serology tests may help determine who can donate convalescent plasma—a part of the blood containing antibodies—which is currently being explored as an investigational treatment for those with COVID-19. Convalescent plasma has been
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May 06, 2020 - United States, COVID-19, United Kingdom, European Union, Intellectual Property
Patent Offices Extend Certain Deadlines, but Proceed With Caution
Patent applicants facing a funds shortage because of COVID-19 may be glad to hear that many patent offices have extended certain patent prosecution deadlines. For example, the U.S. Patent Office has extended various patent deadlines until June 1, 2020 and the European Patent Office
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May 01, 2020 - United States, FDA, COVID-19, Product Liability + Class Action
COVID-19 UPDATE: FDA AUTHORIZES FIRST AT-HOME COLLECTION KIT
By: Erin M. Bosman and Julie Y. Park
FDA has been actively working to accelerate access to diagnostic tests for COVID-19 through its extension of Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs). According to FDA Commissioner Stephen M. Hahn, M.D., “The FDA’s around-the-clock work since this outbreak began has resulted in the authorization of more
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May 01, 2020 - COVID-19, Asia
COVID-19: Excusing Performance Using Force Majeure Clauses Under Japanese Law
By: Chie Yakura and Yukihiro Terazawa
On April 7, 2020, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declared a state of emergency in response to the spread of COVID19. As a result, an increasing number of businesses are unable to continue operating and are having difficulty performing their contractual obligations. Their business partners
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Topic Archives: COVID-19

FDA Establishes Clear Requirements for COVID-19 Vaccine

By: Matthew Karlyn

Expedited Trademark Applications for COVID-19-Related Goods and Services

By: Joyce Liou and Eoin Connolly

How FDA Is Monitoring the COVID-19 Product Market

By: Erin M. Bosman and Julie Y. Park

FDA Signals Flexibility with COVID-19 Tests

By: Erin M. Bosman and Julie Y. Park

Japan Moves to Tighten Restrictions on Foreign Investment in Healthcare Industries

By: Gary Mitchel Smith

Free Prioritized Examination for COVID-19 Patent Applications

COVID-19 Alert: FDA updates antibody test policy

By: Erin M. Bosman and Julie Y. Park

Patent Offices Extend Certain Deadlines, but Proceed With Caution

COVID-19 UPDATE: FDA AUTHORIZES FIRST AT-HOME COLLECTION KIT

By: Erin M. Bosman and Julie Y. Park

COVID-19: Excusing Performance Using Force Majeure Clauses Under Japanese Law

By: Chie Yakura and Yukihiro Terazawa