The Australian Intellectual Property Report 2016 provides a detailed breakdown of the nation's intellectual property (IP) trends, showing growth in demand for IP rights, including patent applications that were up 10 per cent, design applications, which were at the highest level for any single year on record and applications for plant breeder’s rights have hit a five-year peak.
In launching the report last week, Assistant Minister for Innovation Wyatt Roy said: "Intellectual property is a powerful tool to support and drive innovation, consistent with the Government's National Innovation and Science Agenda,"
“The figures indicate a strong rise in the number of entrepreneurs and businesses protecting their IP in Australia,” Mr Roy said. “Such positive growth shows innovation at work.”
The Australian IP Report is an annual publication promoting awareness of IP rights and developments. It is released by IP Australia, which also engages in a number of initiatives to promote innovation and address the needs of business and the public research sector in Australia.
The Report notes three initiatives carried out over the year by IP Australia include the Patent Analytics Hub, Source IP and the open data project, IPGOD. In particular these initiatives have sought to facilitate collaboration between business and the research sector, in line with government priorities.
An example featured in the report is the recent Patent Analytics Hub study, which reported on the Australian Pharmaceutical Industry. The Hub conducted a study based on PCT applications filed by Australian applicants or inventors. One of the outcomes was an understanding of the technological strength of the sector: in Australia 43 per cent of applications related to biologics e.g. peptides or antibodies, in contrast to the rest of the world with an average of 29 per cent of applications on biologics. Of those PCTs filed, 72 per cent relate to the development of new biologics, emphasising Australia’s strong focus on primary research. Other uses include treatments (20 per cent), which cover using known pharmaceuticals for a new purpose and methods of using pharmaceuticals. The remainders are made up from new formulations and diagnostic uses.
The 2016 IP Report is available at the IP Australia website.