The Andhra Journal of Industrial News, November 2005, Issue 20, Vepachedu Educational Foundation

Contents
Trademark Infringement in India
Indian Patent Prosecutors
Reddy's Lab Sued
New American Consulate in Hyderabad
Nanotechnology and Cancer

Trademark Infringement in India
The Indian Courts are generally reluctant in granting exemplary or punitive damages in infringement of trademark or patent cases. However, as the blatant and ever-increasing infringement in general, the Indian courts may not hesitate to award such punitive sanctions to punish those who commit fraud on the innocent public and to deter those who have the propensity to take free ride on the backs of real owners. The case of Time Incorporated V. Lokesh Srivastava & Anr 2005 (30) PTC 3 (del) is based on the above perspective. In this case, the Court issued a permanent injunction in favor of Time restraining the defendant from launching, publishing, issuing and advertising their magazine under the trademark "TIME ASIAN SANSKARAN" and from using the component "TIME ASIA" or "TIME" together with or separately in conjunction with any prefix or suffix or from using the distinctive red border design and awarded an amount of Rs. 500,000 (Indian rupees) as compensatory damages and another Rs. 500,000 as punitive damages. However, it should be noted that the Court did not award the damage of Rs. 1, 250,000 as requested by Time.

Indian Patent Prosecutors
India based patent prosecutors are becoming increasingly sophisticated, heightening the threat to U.S. law firms that are faced with an increasing number of clients eager to outsource their patent work. But some U.S. boutiques are eyeing India's emergence as an opportunity.

Reddy's Lab Sued
India-based generic drug maker Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd. has been sued by Johnson & Johnson for attempting to manufacture and sell a generic version of its popular drug for schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder.

New American Consulate in Hyderabad
In a recent visit to Andhra Pradesh for a conference on HIV/AIDS, the U.S. Consul General in Chennai, David T. Hopper has said that the decision to set up a US Consulate in Hyderabad on the lines of the consulate in Chennai is being explored. The final decision will be made at Washington DC. The Executive Committee of Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC) expressed satisfaction on the arrangements and infrastructure facilities being provided in Andhra Pradesh. He said Hyderabad is fast turning out to be a secure place and the cooperation and support from law enforcement agencies is extremely noteworthy. Mr. Hopper pointed out that about 50,000 students from Andhra Pradesh are pursuing their higher education in various universities in the US, out of the 80,000 from India. He hoped that American students would also look towards Andhra Pradesh for higher studies.

Currently, in addition to the U.S. consulate in Chennai, India has consulates in Mumbai and Kolkata and the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi. In June 2005, House Resolution 2601, an appropriations bill for the U.S. Department of State for fiscal years 2006 and 2007 was passed by the U.S. Congress. Included in the bill was a clause spearheaded by Congressman Joseph Crowley (Democrat, New York) allowing for an additional consulate in India. Crowley said the additional consulate is needed by his IndianAmerican constituents. The U.S. consulate in Chennai is among the busiest in the world and rapid economic development in south India has also meant an increase in U.S. citizens who visit there. Both Bangalore and Hyderabad are burgeoning centers of impressive high-tech and economic growth. In fighting for the inclusion of his clause, Crowley argued, "Currently, businesses, immigrants, and visitors in southern India have to go to the U.S. consulate in Chennai in order to get a visa or do any other business with the U.S. government. The addition of an additional consulate in either Bangalore or Hyderabad will help both Indians and Americans doing business in southern India." U.S. Consul General Hopper is hopeful Washington will make an announcement in early 2006.

Nanotechnology and Cancer
Nanotechnology is the science of manipulating matter smaller than 100 nanometers and taking advantages of properties that are present only at that level, such as conductivity. A nanometer is one-billionth of a meter, or about one-millionth the size of a pinhead. The prefix comes from "nanos," the Greek word for dwarf. Medicine is expected to be one of the fields to benefit most from the technology. In cancer, it is hoped the technology will allow for more precisely targeted drugs and surgery and less toxic chemotherapy.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard Medical School are pioneering cancer nanotechnology. A study, conducted by scientists at MIT and Harvard, involved nanoparticles embedded with the cancer drug Taxotere. The particles were then injected directly into human tumors created from prostate cancer cell lines and implanted into the flanks of mice. The mice were watched for 100 days. The technology being tested involves a nanoparticle made of a hydrogen and carbon polymer with bits of drug bound up in its fabric and attached to a substance that hones in on cancer cells. The polymer gradually dissolves, exposing the nuggets of drug little by little. Experiments on mice have shown promise. Injecting targeted nanoparticles into the bloodstream and having them seek out tumors and get inside on their own is still the ultimate goal. But, one major problem scientists are having in perfecting the blood injections is that the nanoparticles are ending up in the liver and spleen.

Nanotech has been around for several decades, but only now is its potential starting to be realized. Now the nanotechnology is the latest buzzword and gaining importance this decade. In the first week of November, NanoCommerce & SEMI NanoForum, a symposium on Nanotechnology, was held at Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, Chicago and the 2005 International Institute for Nanotechnology Symposium was held at Northwestern University.

The broad objectives of the event at Northwestern were to highlight recent advances in the field of nanotechnology, provide a forum for enhanced interactions and collaborations, and to commemorate the establishment of the International Institute for Nanotechnology (IIN).

The IIN is a collaborative venture between Northwestern University and the Center for Nanoscale Materials at Argonne National Laboratory, which unites over $275 million in nanotechnology research, educational programs, and infrastructure under one umbrella. The Symposium showcased research in nanomaterials, nanostructures, nanodevices, biomedical applications, and energy applications. Plenary speakers included: Mike Roco (NNI), Chad Mirkin (NU), Eric Isaacs (ANL), George Whitesides (Harvard), Mark Ratner (NU), Paul Alivisatos (UC/Berkley), and Geoffrey Ozin (U Toronto/Imperial College of London). See also http://www.nanotechnology.northwestern.edu/

Prof. Chad Mirkin in his introduction showed a map of IIN nanotech network, in which India was also shown. So, I met him after his presentation to find out who is involved in India. He said, Row is involved. For a moment I thought he was talking about RAW (Research and Analysis Wing, the infamous intelligence agency of India)! Then he furhter clarified, Row from India. There are millions of Raos in India, thousands in America, every other person in Andhra Pradesh (population: 80 million) is a Rao- like Tom or Dick in the US. And I am also a Rao from India! When I asked Dr. Garimella, who works at Nanosphere Inc, he told me that CNR Rao has been involved in Nanotechnology in India. So, this Row must be the famous CNR Rao. (By the way, I have no clue to what "C.N.R" (his last name) stands for).

Recently, Prof. C.N.R. Rao, Honorary President of the Jawaharlal Nehru Center for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), said "Nanotechnology and nanoscience are important opportunities for India. The Indian government has made major allocations for nanotechnology between 2002 and 2007. A nanoscience initiative of the Department of Science and Technology (Government of India) that began in 2003 has identified and is working with more than 30 R&D institutions to identify prospective nanotechnology products that can be commercialized. Having access to the appropriate state-of-the-art instruments is critical to future nanotechnology developments in India." The Veeco-India Nanotechnology Laboratory recently announced that it was establishing a nanotechnology center in Bangalore, India, under the supervision of JNCASR. (http://nanotechwire.com/news.asp?nid=2161&ntid=182&pg=1).

The 8th International Conference on Nanostructured Materials - Nano 2006 will be held at the campus of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India from August 20 to 25, 2006. Nano 2006 follows previous conference in this series at : Cancun - Mexico (1992), Stuttgart - Germany (1994), Kona - Hawaii, USA (1996), Stockholm - Sweden (1998), Sendai - Japan (2000), Florida - USA (2002), Wiesbaden - Germany (2004). The Ninth International Conference on Nanostructured Materials will be held in Brazil (2008). For more information, please visit: http://met.iisc.ernet.in/~nano2006/

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