New IPOS-INPI PPH Pilot Programme and Re-registration of Granted Singapore Patent in Laos
Written By
Senior Patent Attorney
Singapore
I work as a senior patent attorney in Bird & Bird's Intellectual Property & Technology Group in Singapore, where I specialise in life sciences. I work with a broad range of clients, from local SMEs to foreign MNCs.
The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) has launched a new Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) pilot programme with the National Institute of Industrial Property of Brazil (INPI). It is now also possible to obtain patent protection in Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos) through the re-registration of a granted Singapore patent.
(I) New IPOS-INPI PPH Pilot Programme
A new PPH pilot programme between IPOS and INPI was launched on 1 May 2020. This is a five year programme and is scheduled to end on 1 May 2025.
IPOS has existing PPH pilot programmes with the China National Intellectual Property Administration, the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property and the European Patent Office as well as with other major Patent Offices via the Global PPH. Like the existing PPH programmes, the new IPOS-INPI PPH programme will allow the sharing of search and examination results between the two Patent Offices. Copies of the search and examination results from the Office of Earlier Examination (OEE) which the applicant intend to rely should be submitted at the time of filing the request for search and/or examination in the Office of Later Examination (OLE).
Additionally, the patent applications filed with IPOS and INPI should be either corresponding applications which are linked by way of priority, or related national phase applications which are derived from the same Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application.
Detailed information on the requirements and various examples in which a PPH request may be accepted by IPOS can be found at
