Late last month, the World Health Organization unveiled a road map for eradicating tropical diseases that will involve the open exchange of intellectual property between nearly a dozen global corporations. But while increased access to pharmaceutical patent libraries is expected to drive clinical innovation, it remains to be seen if practice will live up to theory.

When seeking intellectual property protection for new inventions, companies are often asked to submit explanatory illustrations that accompany the patent applications. But while some applicants view this is a mere administrative hassle, IP Watchdog founder Gene Quinn recently suggested that these simple drawings could prove valuable in the long term.

Intellectual property experts have received a glimpse into how provisions of the America Invents Act may redefine supplemental patent examination processes following the release of proposed rule changes from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

With additional provisions of the America Invents Act set to debut in 2012, companies should already be preparing to adjust their intellectual property strategies accordingly.

Although logo trademarking may not initially factor into the plans of young companies, prioritizing this bit of intellectual property management early can prevent unforeseen problems down the line.

With countries around the world struggling to jumpstart economic progress, government officials in the United States and United Kingdom are focusing on creating intellectual property frameworks capable of inspiring innovation.

While the threat of intellectual property theft should be on the radar of any business executive, companies operating as government contractors must be aware that they are particularly attractive targets.

The significance of impending defense sector reform was on display last week as President Obama placed the matter at the head of his 2012 agenda. According to Bloomberg, the president's statements to reporters seem to suggest that intellectual property protection may be an increasingly large component of national security strategy moving forward.

Symantec Security is the latest major American corporation to suffer the loss of sensitive intellectual assets after hackers obtained the source code underlying its popular antivirus software.

Eastman Kodak - once a leading force in the American technology sector - has hit hard times in recent years and now finds itself on the brink of bankruptcy. According to the Wall Street Journal, the company is hoping to sell off its patent portfolio in a final effort to reverse its fortunes.