PS VI: Harvesting Innovation in Agriculture Patents & More

Transcription

1 PS VI: Harvesting Innovation in Agriculture Patents & More Monday, 24 September :00-15:30 g

2 Moderator: Peter C. Schechter, Osha Liang LLP (Houston, Texas, USA) Roundtable Panelists: Dr. Eyal Bressler, Dr. Eyal Bressler & Co. (Ramat Gan, Israel) Héctor Elias Chagoya, Becerril, Coca & Becerril, S.C. (Mexico City, Mexico) Heli Pihlajamaa, Director Patent Law, European Patent Office (Munich, Germany) 2

3 Harvesting Innovation in Agriculture Patents & More Scope of this Panel Session: This panel session will explore the availability of IP protection for innovation in the agricultural sector, the scope and limits to such protection and the implications for enforcement of IP rights. 3

4 Harvesting Innovation in Agriculture Patents & More Further Scope of this Panel Session: In the face of the challenge of global food security, the importance of innovation to enhance crop production cannot be overstated. This panel will also explore developments in and protection for aspects of agricultural engineering. 4

5 Harvesting Innovation in Agriculture Patents & More Note that -- The challenge of global food security also implicates innovation to enhance livestock production. Keep in mind that agriculture is the cultivation of land and breeding of animals and plants to provide food, fiber, medicinal plants and other products to sustain and enhance life. 5

6 As much as $3-4 BILLION dollars of IP-driven VC investment in AgTech in

7 Top Areas of Venture Capital AgTech Investment (1) GENE EDITING and CLOUD BIOLOGY (2) ALTERNATIVES TO ANTIBIOTICS (3) SOIL BIOLOGICS (4) AQUACULTURE (5) PRECISION AGRICULTURE (6) POST-HARVEST TECHNOLOGIES 7

8 GENE EDITING and CLOUD BIOLOGY Includes gene editing tools: CRISPR-Cas9 applied to plant science; emage (eukaryotic multiplex genome engineering); ZNF (Zinc Finger Proteins); TALEN (Transcription Activator-Like Effector Nucleases); Others currently in R&D stages 8

9 GENE EDITING and CLOUD BIOLOGY Combines artificial intelligence (AI), DNA data, and machine learning and analytics, to conduct breeding experiments through software simulations rather than actual breeding processes; Can reduce time to discover ideal genetic signatures from years to weeks 9

10 GENE EDITING and CLOUD BIOLOGY What are the issues and challenges for IP protection and/or enforcement in these areas? 10

11 ALTERNATIVES TO ANTIBIOTICS - SUPERBUGS! - Consumer shift away from poultry, eggs, dairy, meat from animals fed with antibiotics Instead of treating with compounds designed to kill bacteria, modify the host s immune system to target and destroy pathogens 11

12 ALTERNATIVES TO ANTIBIOTICS - Phage vaccines (viruses of bacteria used to deliver DNA vaccines directly into living cells) - Modifying plants to manufacture essential proteins and enzymes instead of adding same to animal feed - Analysis and modification of the microbiome (that is, the unique combination of microorganisms existing in a particular environment) 12

13 ALTERNATIVES TO ANTIBIOTICS What are the issues and challenges for IP protection and/or enforcement in these areas? 13

14 SOIL BIOLOGICS Decoding microbiome of soils and then: Aligning crops to the soil, or Adjusting the soil microbiome to suit the needs of the specific crops 14

15 SOIL BIOLOGICS What are the issues and challenges for IP protection and/or enforcement in these areas? 15

16 AQUACULTURE Despite hundreds, even thousands, of years of aquaculture by humans, innovation is relatively recent. Focus is on transformative technologies for optimizing production, minimizing losses, minimizing waste byproducts, and meeting growing consumer demand for healthier seafood. 16

17 AQUACULTURE What are the issues and challenges for IP protection and/or enforcement in these areas? 17

18 PRECISION AGRICULTURE (also known as precision ag or precision farming) Includes everything that makes the practice of growing of crops and raising livestock more accurate and controlled. 18

19 PRECISION AGRICULTURE Application of information technology and a wide array of existing technologies such as GPS guidance, control systems, sensors, robotics, drones, autonomous vehicles, variable rate technology, GPS-based soil sampling, automated hardware, telematics, and software to improve productivity while reducing cost, waste, and minimizing environmental impacts. 19

20 POST-HARVEST TECHNOLOGIES Includes everything that could happen to food after it is picked, plucked, reaped, gathered, or otherwise harvested, such as: processing, packaging, traceability and transport, display (shelf life), and sale 20

21 POST-HARVEST TECHNOLOGIES Involves basic applications of various technologies, generally, and is an obvious candidate for use of BLOCKCHAIN technology. Major global food companies are already actively working in this area. 21

22 Thanks for your attention!