Serge Lapointe, PhD, Author at The Angle

Author: Serge Lapointe, PhD

About Serge Lapointe, PhD

Serge Lapointe has extensive experience in patent protection in the life sciences sector in Canada, the United States and abroad. Serge combines his vast knowledge and his experience when drafting patent applications and preparing opinions on the validity and infringement of biotechnology, pharmaceutical and chemical patents. He gets often involved into intellectual property due diligence investigations.

Serge has more than 20 years of experience working in firms and in industry, and he has acquired in-depth knowledge of the scientific and regulatory aspects of drug development. His ability to examine technology from a pragmatic business perspective is an added value for clients.

Serge responds effectively to the legal and commercial needs of a varied clientele from the genomics, proteomics, pharmaceutical products and chemical industries.

He has considerable experience in assisted reproductive technologies, diseases of the central nervous system, obesity, diabetes, virology, microbiology, genetic markers, blood and nephrological disorders, stem cells, nutraceuticals, and green technologies.

Canada, Intellectual property, Patents

Patent Term Adjustment is finally coming to Canada

July 16, 2024 Serge Lapointe, PhD

The Canadian government is proposing modifications to the Patent Rules to finally introduce a Patent Term Adjustment (PTA) system[1]. The PTA will provide an additional term for patents for unreasonable delays in their issuance. The PTA system is an obligation deriving from the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) that entered into force on July 1, 2020.

This new PTA system will take effect on January 1, 2025, and it will apply to Canadian patent applications filed on or after December 1, 2020 that have suffered unreasonable delays in their issuance. An unreasonable delay is defined as a delay in issuance of more than five years from the filing date or three years from the examination request date, whichever is later, with certain exclusions.

Analysis, Patents

Study confirms the critical importance of working with high-quality patent attorney firms

September 14, 2023 Serge Lapointe, PhD

A recent study published by university scholars in The Journal of Industrial Economics[1] confirmed how important it is to work with highly qualified professionals to obtain a patent. Indeed, the results of the study confirmed that a higher-quality patent attorney firm can significantly raise the probability of a patent grant.

Analysis, Canada, Patents

Quick overview of the state of patents for psychedelics

October 27, 2021 Serge Lapointe, PhD

Psychedelics are a class of psychoactive substances that produce changes in perception, mood and cognitive processes. Also so known as “hallucinogens”, reference to psychedelics is commonly meant to include substances such as Psilocybin (a.k.a. “magic mushroom”), MDMA (a.k.a. “extasy”) and LSD (Lysergic acid diethylamide).

Likely following the lead of the ongoing legalisation of cannabis in Canada, many U.S. states and other countries, the recent years have seen unprecedented investments and an increasing interest in research, production, and supply of psychedelics, particularly for potential medicinal uses.

The present article aims to provide a brief overview of the current situation from a patent perspective and to discuss about patenting strategies for these substances.