ST HELIER, Jersey, December 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --
Patent landscape study provides important benchmark for judging entries
CPA Global, the world's leading provider of intellectual property (IP) management services and software, is supporting Longitude Prize 2014 - an international challenge, which aims to find a fast, accurate, easy-to-use and cost-effective test for bacterial infections that will allow health professionals worldwide to administer the right antibiotics at the right time. By doing so, the challenge will help conserve antibiotics for future generations and revolutionise the delivery of global healthcare.
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Longitude Prize opened for entries from around the world on 18 November; it is run by innovation foundation Nesta and is being supported by Innovate UK (the new name for the Technology Strategy Board) as funding partner. CPA Global is supporting the challenge by undertaking a detailed patent landscape study through its specialist patent research subsidiary, Landon IP. The results of the study will help provide a benchmark against which the judging panel can compare submissions, both in terms of originality (versus existing technology and solutions) as well as claimed speed, accuracy, and ease of use. The study also indicates the types of organisations that are active in this health technology area and the countries they are from.
Geoff Mulgan, Chief Executive of Nesta and Longitude Prize committee member, said: "Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest global health challenges of our time, which, if not addressed, could cost millions of lives around the world. Our hope is that the combination of the Prize and greater awareness of the problem will fuel a dramatic acceleration in the search for solutions, many of which may be surprising and come from unexpected sources. We are grateful for the support from CPA Global. The patent landscape study will be a very valuable benchmarking tool for the judging panel when considering submissions."
CPA Global's Chief Executive Officer, Tim Griffiths, added: "We are proud to be supporting Longitude Prize 2014 and the search for a transformative point-of-care test that will identify when antibiotics are needed and, if they are, which ones to use. This is vitally important as the incorrect use and overuse of antibiotics is a major contributor to the rise of antibiotic resistance. We hope that the Longitude Prize challenge will be a catalyst for further - and urgent - innovation in developing solutions that address this major worldwide problem."
In addition to the support from CPA Global, Dr Paul Chapman from Marks & Clerk, one of the IP attorney firms that founded CPA Global, is a member of the Longitude Prize Advisory Panel, providing advice on IP-related matters.
Potential entrants to Longitude Prize have up to five years to find a solution. Regular submission deadlines have been set, after which entries will be reviewed and potential winning solutions put forward to the Longitude Committee. However, the Committee could select the winner at any stage during the five-year period. To find out more, visit http://www.longitudeprize.org.
About Longitude Prize
Longitude Prize 2014 is developed and run by innovation foundation Nesta and has a £10 million prize fund. It was announced by British Prime Minister David Cameron at G8 2013 and is being supported by Innovate UK (formerly the Technology Strategy Board) as funding partner.
The Prize commemorates the 300th anniversary of the Longitude Act (1714) when the British government threw down the gauntlet to solve one of the great scientific challenges of that century: how to pinpoint a ship's location at sea by knowing its longitude. The British public voted for antibiotic resistance to be the focus of Longitude Prize 2014.
To mark the opening of Longitude Prize 2014, a portrait of Alexander Fleming - best known for his discovery of penicillin - has been commissioned. The artwork has been created by celebrity portrait artist Nathan Wyburn using 25,800 capsules, each representing one antibiotic item dispensed - approximately the amount dispensed every five hours in the UK.
About CPA Global
CPA Global is the world's leading intellectual property (IP) management software and services specialist. With offices across Europe, the United States and Asia Pacific, CPA Global supports many of the world's best known corporations and law firms with a range of IP and broader legal services, helping them to manage risk, cost and capacity, and realise greater value for their businesses and IP assets.
Founded in Jersey, Channel Islands in 1969, CPA Global today employs some 2,000 people, serving clients' needs in 200 jurisdictions through its own offices and an extensive agent network. For further information, please visit: http://www.cpaglobal.com.
Media Contacts:
CPA Global
Steve Clark, +44(0)20-7549-5504, sclark@cpaglobal.com
Longitude Prize
Christine Crowther, +44(0)20-7438-2611, christine.crowther@nesta.org.uk
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